Broadcast of satellite channels finally goes digital in city

Residents living outside the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) area are facing the heat of cable digitisation process in the state capital.

Broadcast of analogue signals of satellite channels has been shut down by cable operators in their area, more than a
year ahead of the digitisation deadline set by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

As ordered by the district administration, multi service operators (MSOs) have stopped broadcast of analogue
signals on cable network since Tuesday evening.

While this step is in consonance with the Trai’s order on digitalisation of cables that allows viewing of channels only through set top
box, the area outside PMC are deemed to have uninterrupted viewing of satellite channels without set top box.

Admitting technical problems in bifurcation of signals, director of Citi Maurya cable network,Rajnish Dikshit claimed, they
were looking into it and broadcast of analogue signals would be restored very soon.

It may be noted that the cable operators at a meeting with the ADM, who was appointed as nodal officer for digitalisation,
a fortnight ago directed them to relay analogue signals outside the PMC area.

Some of the residents in Digha and Phulwari Sharif area alleged, that they were forced to buy set top box from the operators at a
price fixed by them only.

“They had threatened to snap cable signals,even after paying the rentals in advance,” said BN Sharma of Phulwari Sharif.

Regarding the complaints related to abrupt snapping of cable channels in the outskirts,a senior officer of the district
administration said, the aggrieved persons should write complaints to the district magistrate and the TRAI body regarding unavailability
of service in their area.

DM is the appropriate authority to deal with cable television channel related complaints, he added.

“Until we receive any complaint from the people concern, how can we take the action,” asked another officer.