The multi-system operators in the city have stopped beaming analogue signals for several cable television channels, taking a step towards the complete digitised transmission from May 15.

A number of religious, cartoon, business and sports channels have been blocked in the past few days. The multi-system operators (MSOs) claimed that they started blocking transmission of analogue signals because the extended deadline for digitisation sought by them from the authorities was less than a week away.

“Considering the heavy backlog in installation of set-top boxes in Patna, we had sought an extension from the district administration for 45 days, ending on May 15. The district administration forwarded our request to the state information and public relations department, which, in turn, sent it to the Centre. Now that the extension is nearing its deadline, we have started blocking analogue signals,” said Rajnish Dikshit, director, SITI Maurya Cablenet Pvt. Ltd.

Sushil Kumar, director, Darsh Digital Network Pvt. Ltd claimed that the ministry of information and broadcasting had clearly stated that transmission of analogue signals should be completely stopped from May 15. “We have already blocked around 50 channels and would stop beaming analogue signals for all channels from the midnight of May 15. I recently attended a meeting convened by the ministry of information and broadcasting in New Delhi. The officials said transmission of analogue signals should stop in Patna after May 15,” he said.

Few of the channels whose analogue signal transmission has been stopped in the city include Aastha, Sanskar TV, Pogo, Cartoon Network, CNBC, CNBC Awaz, Zee Business and Zee TV.

Arvind Kumar Tiwari, the nodal officer for digitisation in Patna, claimed that the Centre had asked the state government to stop transmission of analogue signals in phases. “In its reply to the state government’s recommendation for extension, the Government of India said in order to avoid inconvenience to the public, the transmission of analogue signals for cable TV should be stopped in a phase-wise manner. The ongoing action of the MSOs in gradually blocking several channels is in accordance with such directives,” said Tiwari.

As of now, against the target of 4 lakh television sets, digital set-top boxes have been installed with around 1.25 lakh sets.

Two MSOs — SITI Maurya Cablenet and Darsh Digital Network — are supplying the bulk of the set-top boxes in Patna. Each has around 30-40 per cent of the market share.

Citing reasons behind the slow pace in installation of set-top boxes in Patna, Dikshit said: “People are perhaps not taking the digitisation seriously because the deadline has been postponed in the past. Now that the analogue transmission has stopped, they would wake up and switch.”