No set-top box? You can't watch TV from today

If you forgot or sat on your decision to make the switch to digital cable network, tough luck. Your TV set will go on the blink on Thursday. The information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry as well as the Bombay high court on Wednesday refused to extend the cable TV digitisation deadline of October 31 in the four metropolitan cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata.

The Madras HC, however, pushed the deadline in Chennai to November 5.

A release issued by the I&B ministry stated that the digitisation process, together withdirect-to-home (DTH) connections, has touched 93%.

The move has been welcomed by broadcasters and multi-system operators alike since local cable operators can no longer pocket subscription revenues by under-declaring their subscriber base.

In Delhi alone, 92% of cable TV connections have been digitised. Taken with DTH services, this shoots up to 95%. Kolkata has achieved a digitisation of 82%. With the DTH penetration, this adds up to 85%. Chennai, though, is far behind, with only 62% of set top box (STB) users having opted for cable TV digitisation. But with DTH, 86% of consumers have been covered.

Subscribers who have failed to switch over will have to either buy a digital STB from their cable TV service providers or get a DTH service in case the local operator is unable to provide an STB.

Industry experts say from Thursday, households will have to shell out a premium for digital cable connections through STBs or a DTH service.