Chennai, other metro cities to undergo digitisation by June 21012

CHENNAI: Chennai, along with other metropolitan cities, will undergo digitisation of cable services by June 2012, said JS Sarma, Chairman, Trai. “The rest of the country will be digitised by 2014,” he added.

The government will come out with a new telecom policy by early next year, he said.

When asked about the Tamil Nadu Government's steps to nationalise cable services in the analog mode, he added that it is “a matter of law” that digitisation has to happen.

September 2, 2011, saw the launch of the first state-owned cable TV, Arasu Cable, an attempt by the Tamil Nadu Government to thwart Kalanithi Maran’s stronghold on cable TV distribituion through Sumangali Cable Vision (SCV).

Sarma agreed that DTH brands don’t have a level playing field when compared to cable operators. “It is a fact that vis-a-vis cable operators, the taxation structure is unfair to DTH providers.”

The TN State Government recently decided to tax DTH at 30%.