The Ministry of information & broadcasting on Wednesday said that cable TV users in phase III urban areas will not be able to watch television after 31 January without set-top boxes. Phase III areas include 630 districts across 34 states and union territories including Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Bihar.
As per a statement from the Ministry, cable subscribers in the aforesaid areas are to start using set-top boxes (STBs), "failing which they would not be able to watch TV services through Cable TV Networks after 31 January, 2017."
The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2011 had mandated a switchover of the existing analog cable TV networks to digital addressable system (DAS) in four phases. Digital switch-over has already taken place in phase I and II areas, while it was scheduled to be completed in phase III and phase IV areas by 31 December 2016.