TV digitization deadline ends, Chennai gets relief

NEW DELHI: The deadline set by the government for switchover to digital TV in four metro cities ended on Wednesday making a blackout imminent for those who have not installed set top boxes (STBs). 

TV viewers in Chennai who have not made the change, however, got some relief with the Madras High Court granting extension of the deadline till November 5 for the process of digitization of TV signals. 

But residents in Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi are unlikely to get more time to shift from analog to digital addressable system (DAS). 

Union information and broadcasting secretary Uday Kumar Varma confirmed that analogue signals in Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai would be switched off on Thursday but Chennai would not be in the list because of the court order. 

"However, apprehension that there will be a blackout are misplaced. There are only some pockets in areas in the metro cities where people have not switched over and we are confident that they will in the next few days,'' he said. 

I&B ministry's data for all the four metros combined showed digitisation of cable TV households including Direct To Home (DTH) connections upto 94%. 

As per the data, out of a total 65.50 lakh cable TV subscribers in four metros, 62.34 lakh STBs had been installed while the rest were yet to be installed. 

"In the past few days, the analogue signal has been switched off in a staggered manner. The ministry has given enough time and the deadline should not be extended further," a senior official said. 

"In case some cable operator is found violating digital rules, action could be taken and even the license of the offender could be cancelled," he said. 

In a statement the I&B ministry also claimed that on October 30, there was a huge surge in the installation of STBs in the four metros, especially Delhi. 

"A total of 1,05,180 boxes were installed, out of which approximately 65,000 boxes were installed in Delhi alone. This huge increase in the number of boxes installed in Delhi has taken up the cable TV digitisation to 95% in Delhi. Along with DTH, the digitization percentage in Delhi has gone to 97%," the ministry said. 

Mumbai has already achieved 100% digitisation while in Kolkata the percentage of cable TV digitization has gone upto 83%. In Chennai, cable TV digitization has gone up to 62% while with DTH, the percentage has touched 86%. 

Thanks Harini for your information we have already make payment thats great other have time 

Originally posted by: delsi

Thanks Harini for your information we have already make payment thats great other have time 

yesterday fully we have no current in full Madras so i din't get any information thanks a lot 

Originally posted by: Justlikethat1

You are most welcome Delsi😛

I heard about Nilam there Hope everything is fine. Take care and be safe😊