Restructuring of Cable TV: Digital transmission coming soon

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Quote:To ensure better cable TV services for the consumers and provisions for customer grievances redressal, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has come out with a plan to shift the existing analogue transmission system into digital transmission system (DTS), which will make it mandatory for every consumer to install a set top box.

The TRAI has set up 2010 as the target year. The proposal has already been submitted to the telecom ministry. Nripendra Misra, Chairman, TRAI said this on Monday. He was taking on the sidelines of a national-level workshop on the issue of 'Restructuring of cable TV in India'.

Misra said, "The shifting of existing analogue system into digital transmission will ensure better services to cable viewers in terms of quality signals, picture clarity and new services like video on demand, selection of channels, etc. The digital system will also identify the exact number of consumers using a set top box."

"The cable operators in India very soon would face fierce competition from operators using advanced distribution technologies like DTH, HITS and IPTV, which are also in the form of digital transmission. Presently, most of the operators are analogue and have limited capacity of delivering 40 to 60 channels, which is a part of total availability. They can increase their capacity after the system is upgraded to digital transmission," Misra said.

Only 10% of existing cable TV homes are served by two-way digital systems at present. There are over 40 lakh DTH customers in India. The cable TV operators will lag behind if they do not upgrade themselves, he added.

Admitting that the present TV industry is subjected to minimum supervisory guidance and control, Misra said, "Various steps are being taken to streamline the registration process, data collection and monitoring the better services to customers."

Conditional Access System (CAS) has been made operational in four metros while TRAI is planning to introduce voluntary CAS system at 55 districts places across the country, Misra said.

Cable operators, multi-system operators (MSO) and representatives from broadcast companies attended the discussion. The TRAI is organising similar discussions across the country. It will be sending a suggestion draft to telecom ministry considering the issues raised at the discussions, said Misra.

http://www.televisionpoint.com/news2008/...1211887198