There have been loads of discussions about Cable TV digitization all over and not to forget, on Social Media too. So what is buzz all about?

Hang on; we are all set to unlock the mystery around Cable TV digitization in India. Keeping in tandem with changing times, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry had also resorted to Facebook to create awareness about their plans to digitize the cable sector in the country. The Government had also launched a new and dedicated facebook account, namely, www.facebook.com /DigitalIndiaMIB to facilitate exchange of information and clarifications on a wider canvas of public participation. So let’s start with the basics about Cable TV digitization.

The government, this year had passed a regulation which made it mandatory to convert all the analog cable TV lines into digital. While the move preliminarily appeared only to benefit the Govt. & was opposed, closer inspection of the recommendations by the TRAI has revealed points with mutual benefits to all. Interesting? Well what made them do this? Well, this move by the government comes post an amendment to the Section 4A of the Cable Regulation Act, 1995, which directs the compulsory implementation of mandatory addressable digitization (MAD). This new ruling essentially implies that all cable operators will have to, before deadlines switch the signals that they transmit to digital, instead of the earlier analog.

So will this change our TV viewing? Will it help the audience or Government? Let’s find it out. Earlier subscribers were forced to choose whole packages of channels even if they did not watch them all. However, in the new regime they will be allowed to choose channels on a la carte basis. In other words subscribers will have much better choice at picking only the channels that they want. This will surely bring in price regulation for both the Direct to Home (DTH) & digital cable operators. Also this will expose viewers to an experience that is imaginative. Digital cable services will invariably give them the opportunity to resolve some of the issues they have faced with legacy analog cable systems.

Are you excited? Hang on there is more Customers would now be able to choose from nearly 500 channels. The only additional investment that they would need to make is buying a set-top-box, the cost of which is already subsidized. Guess now you would be excited about it. But as they say that good news does not come so easily. The wait for this good news is now delayed. Cable TV digitization deadline which was originally set as 30th June, is now been pushed to Nov 1, 2012. So what is the reason behind this delay? Well it was found that only 25 percent of set top boxes were placed in cable TV homes across the four metros – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, just days before the switch. Was this expected?

So does this delay mean that the other cities too will have to wait for digitization? Well for those consumers in cities, like Pune, Ahmedabad and Bangalore, where the size of the population exceeds 1 million, the shift was earlier to come in a little later by March 2013. However, now with the scheduled roll-out for the four metros being delayed, one can expect it to impact the roll-out across other regions, too.

So have you initiated the step to convert your old cable TV line into the new digital one? Do let us know your views about Cable TV digitization!!