Indian telecoms regulator TRAI has issued its recommendations on how to implement national digital cable systems, and told operators they must switch over to digital by the end of 2013.
To offset expenditure on the switchover, TRA is offering all service…
Indian telecoms regulator TRAI has issued its recommendations on how to implement national digital cable systems, and told operators they must switch over to digital by the end of 2013.
To offset expenditure on the switchover, TRA is offering all service providers who comply early an income tax holiday. These groups would therefore see savings between April 1 2011 and March 31 2019.
Another carrot being offered is a three-year, zero-rate basic custom duty on all digital head-end equipment and set-top boxes.
The switchover should be carried out in four phases, recommends the regulator.
First, the Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai metropolitan areas must switch by March 31 2011.
Second, any city with a population of one million or more must switch by the end of 2011.
Third, all other urban areas will switch by the end of 2012.
And finally, the rest of the country must turn off analogue by the end of 2013.
