[Bapun Raz]

Go digital or watch your TV sets go blank

KOLKATA: With digitization of cable television becoming mandatory in the four metro cities of the country, nearly 30 lakh television sets across the city are going to turn blank on July 1, said cable operators as well as direct-to-home (DTH) players.

Around 30 lakh television sets across the city are going to turn blank from July 1 when digitization of cable television is becoming mandatory in the four metro cities of the country, said cable operators as well as direct-to-home (DTH) players.

Though the awareness level among city dwellers has risen considerably, but the number of conversions to the digital format is far less than the number of queries that are pouring into these offices. Most people have adopted the wait-and-watch policy in the hope that the July 1 deadline will be postponed further by the government.

the extent of conversion to the digital format is not matching the number of queries pouring in these offices. Everybody has adopted the path of wait and watch as many are hoping this July 1 deadline will be pushed further by the government.

The switchover from analog to digital transmission will have to be completed in Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, by June 30, 2012 if the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) sticks to the Ordinance amending the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995. From the next day, only digital transmission will be beamed to cities.

Swapan Chowdhury of Cable Operators' Federation of India said the government has directed broadcasters to disconnect transmission to all multi-service operators (MSO) which have not converted to the digital format. He was speaking at a seminar organized by the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Anupam Paul, head, West Bengal and Orissa of Airtel DTH, anxiously said that though queries are pouring in for digital connections, those are not getting converted into business.

After the advertisement started hitting television, people are becoming more conscious but they are still expecting that July deadline to be pushed further, KK Binani, secretary, Cable TV Equipment Traders' & Manufacturers' Association, said.

"We think people will react once TV sets turn black. Momentum will pick up later. There may be some last-minute hitches," he said.

There are around 10,000 cable operators in the city and 15 MSOs in West Bengal. The set-top boxes that are becoming mandatory will cost around Rs 1,000.

"People are not booking set-top boxes yet. It will become difficult for us to supply set top boxes at the twelfth hour as we do not know how many we will require," added Chowdhury.