Multi-system operator (MSO) Digicable is setting up a 500-channel headend in India in view of the mandatory digitisation of cable distribution from July 1.

“We are in the process of setting up a 500 channels onland headend in the country. We will be fourth in the world after Singapore, Germany and USA and first in the country to do so,” Digicable Vice President, Mr Amit Nag, told PTI.

He said the 500 channels headend could cost anywhere between Rs 10 crore and Rs 15 crore. Headend facilitates receiving TV signals for processing and distribution over the cable.

Mr Nag claimed that the choice of channels to consumers from the new project will be much higher than DTH operators as delivery of channels through transponders have limitations.

The project will offer huge saving to Digicable in distribution capex as the new digital headend will be installed in a single place, possibly in Mumbai.

Signals from the headend will be pumped through fibre optic cables to other cities in the country. Digicable has around 28,000 km of fibre optic network in the country.

Currently, MSOs have headend or channel aggregators in all the cities or states they have operations in, but the new headend will do away with that concept.

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