TV viewing to stay expensive

The Union Budget does not provide any substantial price-cut on equipment needed to run the CAS, DTH and IPTV, reports Ravi Bajpai.

People of Delhi will have to struggle with new television-viewing technologies being forced on them for yet another year.

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The Union Budget 2008-09 does not provide any substantial price-cut on equipment needed to run the Conditional Access System (CAS), Direct-to-Home (DTH) and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV). A marginal subsidy has been provided to service providers but its benefits wouldn't necessarily reach viewers.

Viewers in south and southwest Delhi had to switch to CAS in January last after a court direction. The government wants to extend the system to other parts soon.