EntMnt Xclusive Cable Digitization Phase II achieves 75% target.

[IndianMascot]

The Information & Broadcasting Ministry on Friday said Cable digitization has achieved 55 percent target in 38 cities in Phase II.

The ministry’s target is to achieve 100 percent digitization by March 31, 2013.

As per the data received from the DTH operators and the MSOs, as on 22 February, 2013, 87.7 lakhs Set Top Boxes (STBs) have already been installed in Phase-II cities against the target of 1.60 crore, registering an achievement of 55 percent digitisation.

Out of a total of 87.7 Lakhs, DTH connections accounted for 40.7 Lakhs, whereas cable STBs accounted for 47.0 Lakhs.



- See more at: Cable digitization | TelecomLead.com: Telecom News on Mobile, Wireless Infrastructure, Enterprise Networking, Smartphone, Tablet, LTE, VAS

 

[IndianMascot]

No relaxation on DAS Phase II


Information and Broadcasting Ministry Secretary Uday Kumar Varma today said that the cable television sector would gain much more in the long run from switchover to digital access system than direct-to-home (DTH) television.

Speaking on the sidelines of the India Forum of the Cable and Satellite Broadcasters Association of India which he earlier inaugurated, Varma said that cable TV would be able to provide more value added services than being provided by DTH. He also said there was greater spectrum available to cable TV than DTH.

Earlier while inaugurating the one-day meet on the theme of ‘Digital Visions and Dividends’, he said that there would be no extension of deadline of the second phase of switching off analogue signals on 31 March covering 38 cities.

Analogue switch off in stages

Supriya Sahu, Joint Secretary in the I and B Ministry in charge of Broadcasting Policy, said at a session later that the government was contemplating an amendment to the DAS rules to go in for switch off of analogue signals in stages after Phase II commences.

She said that some service providers had not given the access forms to the subscribers and this was causing concern, but the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India was examining the issue. It had issued show cause notices to many service providers and was holding a dialogue to ensure smooth switchover.


Wish to read further, ------>

 

[IndianMascot]

75 % Digitization in Phase II achieved


Government is firm on keeping up the Phase-II deadline of 31st March 2013. This was asserted by the I&B Secretary Uday Kumar Varma in his keynote address at FICCI Frames held in Mumbai recently. He said that out of the 38 cities of Phase-II, 10 have achieved 75% digitalization and overall 60% of STB seeding has been achieved. Only five cities including Ranchi, Srinagar and Coimbatore are facing some problems in implementation.

However, the Secretary accepted that only STBs have been seeding and SMS and billing systems are not operative. Thus other aspects of digitalization like giving choice to consumers have not yet been given.

In the meanwhile TRAI has sent notice to Cable Operators in all DAS cities to give details of subscribers who have been given the STBs and their details fed in to the SMS systems.

Experts in the industry feel that ground reality is very different from what the government claims. Government is including DTH connections in the STB figures which is incorrect while digitizing Cable TV. Also, seeding only the STBs does not digitalise a network unless all other systems are in place too. Even the first Phase cities have not started generating SMS Billing. It is very difficult to say how much time is required to complete the process as subscribers have not accepted the digital packages yet.

TRAI has extended the date of submission of comments on consultation paper issues relegated to cross media ownership by one month. Now you can send your response by 08 April 2013.

 

[Heart]

Centralised Monitoring System to be installed to monitor Digitization.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is in the process of installing a Centralised Monitoring System to keep a tab on the encryption of channels by MSOs, in a major initiative to monitor the progress of Digitization and to ensure the mandatory adherence of transmitting Digital encrypted signals by Multi System Operators (MSOs).

The Centralized Monitoring System will be able to detect those MSOs who do not carry the mandated encrypted signals. MSOs are required to carry encrypted signals of TV channels in areas where digitization has been implemented as mandated by Section 4A of Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995. Transmission / Re-transmission of unencrypted signals would amount to violation of Terms and Conditions of MSOs.

For the above purpose, a web based pilot project for the DAS monitoring system installed at Bangalore is undergoing field trials. Once implemented, it will enable the Ministry to keep a watch on the implementation of DAS by all the MSO licensees through this system.

Read More : Centralised Monitoring System to be installed to monitor digitisation

 

[IndianMascot]

Heart : do not post the entire article. Post only relevant paragraph. Copy pasting entire article is against forum rules

 

[Mazi]

IndianMascot broo
any update of digitization?
How many cities got discontinued analog signals?

 

[Gopichand Pai]

Bangalore has all the analogue channels still active!

 

[bhaskarkilli]

Andhra Pradesh CM asked one month time to get digitization in Hyderabad and Vishakapatnam.he told STBs are not available for go to digitization for these cities.But I saw a scroll in TV 9 that analogue channels will stop as per schedule for these cities.

 

[Gopichand Pai]

Few days back there was an article saying Hyderabad has reached almost 100% digitization.

 

[Gopichand Pai]

As per the article: Indiantelevision.com's > Digital Edge> DAS Phase II commences as analogue TV switched off

"The second phase of DAS in India marched on even as the month of March 2013 came to and end as envisioned by the ministry of information and broadcasting. Analogue television signals in 36 cities all over India were clipped even as stay orders were imposed by high courts in Ahmedabad and Bengaluru."

This is wrong as all the analogue channels are still active in Bangalore