Mangaluru: The Deputy commissioner held a press meet at his office here on December 15.
Speaking about the digitization process A B Ibrahim said that the government of India had undertook the initiative of nationwide digitization of cable TV. “Already phase I and II are completed. In the third phase all cities are to be given access to digital cable TV. This third phase includes Dakshina Kannada district as well,” he said.
When asked why this procedure was being done, Ibrahim said, “Several cable operators were evading taxes, but with digitization tax evasion can be avoided as number of users could be monitored over the internet. Also the quality and the quantity of channels that can be accommodated is more in the digital system.”
“The last date to install a ‘Set Top Box’ is December 31 after which all analog signals will stop broadcast,” he said. Legal Action will be taken against any cable operator who broadcasts analog signal after December 31. “All customers are requested to switch over to a ‘Set Top Box’ compulsorily for their convenience,” he added.
Already sixty percent of the customer base had switched over to digital signal.