Union information and broadcasting ministry is soon likely to seek the Cabinet’s approval for fixing the sunset date for digitisation of all cable systems in the four metropolitan cities of Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and Chennai for March 31, 2012. While the ministry proposes to complete the phase-I by 2012, the phase-II will cover cities with a population of more than one million and is scheduled to be completed by March 31, 2013. Sources stated that a Cabinet note to this effect has been prepared and will soon be put before the Union Cabinet for its approval.
Sources stated that through digitisation of cable transmission in the country, the ministry hopes to improve the quality of service as well as revenue generation for the government. “With all cable connections becoming addressable the revenue leakage is expected to be stopped. Currently several cable network operators working in the analogue mode of transmission under report the number of subscribers being serviced by them,” sources added.
This paper had first reported on April 14 that the I&B ministry had approved the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recommendation for fixing a sunset date for digitisation of all cable systems. The TRAI had made the recommendations in August 2010.
The TRAI had recommended that digitalisation with addressability be implemented in the cable TV sector on priority and accordingly suggested a time frame comprising four phases.