COURT RELIEF FOR SET-TOP BOXES ENDS TODAY

Television sets without settop boxes (STBs) in nearly nine lakh households in the city will go blank from April 30 with the relaxation given by the Andhra Pradesh High Court set to end on Monday.

Areas in the Old city will be worst affected as less than 10 per cent of the target has been achieved with regard to installation of STBs.

The city has nearly 32 lakh cable television connections. Set top boxes have been installed for nearly 20 lakh TV sets, while the remaining three lakh avail of direct-tohome (DTH) services.

There is still a backlog of nine lakh Set Top Boxes, though unofficial estimates put the figure at nearly 20 lakh with several households having multiple connections, especially in rented houses.

Cable TV operators take the house as a unit, but there can be several rented portions in a single house — each having a separate cable TV connection.

Cable TV operators are hopeful of getting another extension, till May 8. “Some states like Rajasthan have got an extension till May 8. We hope to get the same here. We have requested the MSOs not to stop TV sig-

Cable operators take each house as a unit. But there can be many rented portions in one house, each having separate cable connections

nals from April 30,” said L. Hari Goud, president, Greater Hyderabad Cable TV Operators Association.

With the ongoing summer vacation for kids and the IPL cricket season at its peak, residents are naturally upset that they may be deprived of cable TV services.