There are about 1 lakh set top boxes with the three authorised Master Signal Operators (Media Vision, Sri Devi Master Media and Vaji Communications) in the city and another 3 lakh set top boxes would be requisitioned in the next 15 days and hence there was no cause for alarm among cable TV viewers, according to a statement issued by the Joint Collector.
It may be recalled that the government has made digitalisation of cable TV services compulsory as part of which installation of set top boxes was made compulsory in Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad in the first phase in AP.
While the deadline for installation of set top boxes by the consumers was fixed for March 31, it was extended by another 15 days in view of the shortage of equipment. The MSOs had fixed the rates for installation of set top boxes as under: Media Vision – Rs.1,799, Sri Devi Master Media – Rs.1,500 and Rs.1,650 and Vaji Communications – Rs.999. Customers have been asked to obtain a receipt for the amount paid to the MSO and fill the application form for installation of the set top boxes.
