December 31 is the deadline for installation of TV set top boxes

If you are one of those in urban areas of the district, who have failed to install set top box (STB) and viewing television programmes without STBs, then note this point: Your analogue TV cable connection (popularly called as the cable TV connection) could get disconnected after December 31.

Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim said that the deadline for compulsory digitisation issued by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for urban areas is December 31, 2015. The first and second phase of digitisation programmes have been completed in the country and all the urban areas need to be digitised using STBs by December-end in the third phase, he added.

The Union government had passed compulsory digitisation rule following the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2011. The digitisation was made mandatory as per the recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Following the rule, all cable TV operators have to transmit the signals in a digital format and hence, the STBs.

The deputy commissioner has appealed to the citizens to contact cable operators to install STB for uninterrupted TV viewing even after December 31. The cable operators have also been asked to complete the process of digitisation of consumer network by December-end.

As December 31 deadline is nearing, the consumers should approach the service providers and get the set top boxes. Otherwise, it will be difficult to provide the equipment to all when they come at the last minute.

Cable operator Prema of Shakthinagara said that about 75 per cent of consumers have installed STBs in her area and the remaining have already placed orders. “We are on the process of procuring the STBs. Once STBs are supplied to us, they will be installed in the households. The consumers have not resisted from installing STBs as they are well aware of the need for it. At the same time, awareness is being created on this fact,” she said.

Set top boxes are available with all cable network service providers with varying prices. Earlier, it was priced around Rs 1,500. Now, it has gone up to Rs 1,750 with the increasing demand.

Digitisation helps subscribers to enjoy high picture quality and the option of choosing a suitable package.