Cable TV digitisation
- Cable TV Services in Urban Areas will be digital from 1st January 2016
- The cable TV is one of the most popular medium of mass entertainment & education. The country has more than 100 million cable TV subscribers. The digitization of cable TV services is under way in a phased manner in 4 phases. The road map for digitalisation of Cable TV services is as under:
| Phase | Areas | Sunset date for analog Cable TV |
| Phase –I | Four Metros of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai | 31.10.2012 |
| Phase –II | Cities with a population more than one million (38 cities) | 31.03.2013 |
| Phase –III | All Other Urban areas (Municipal Corporation/ Municipalities) except cities /towns/areas specified for corresponding Phase-I and Phase-II. | 31.12.2015 |
| Phase –IV | Rest of India | 31.12.2016 |
- The consumers of 4 metros & 38 cities who were covered under phase-I & II of digitalization are getting the benefits of Digital Cable TV services. As Mentioned above, the cut off date in respect of phase-III, which covers remaining urban areas, is 31st December 2015, after which no analog signal transmission or re-transmission of TV channels is permitted by the Law.
Advantages
- The digital cable TV services (DAS) can carry large number of TV channels with better picture quality and sound for all the channels.
- The consumer can choose channels of their choice and accordingly budget their expanses.
- For availing the Digital Cable TV Services, a consumer is required to install a set top box at his/her premises. The STBs can be availed on rental/hire-purchase/outright purchase basis. The consumer has an option to choose any scheme out of many offered by the service provider.
