Multi system operators (MSOs) are expected to submit their detailed digitisation plans to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in the next couple of days.

This comes in the wake of the first phase of digitisation being extended by four months.

MSOs and cable operators will have to give details about timelines in which they will be seeding set-top boxes in television households.

Mr Uday Kumar Varma, Secretary of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, said, “MSOs and cable operators have to give us information on the time they will take to install all the set-top boxes and details on how many they have ordered. We do not want MSOs to wait till the end or lag behind.”

Progress to be monitered

Based on these plans and other regular updates, the Ministry will closely monitor the progress of digitisation and warn players who are up to speed with digitisation.

Meanwhile, the Ministry is in the process of amending the cable licensing norms.

Under the revised norms, MSOs who submit incorrect information can lose their licenses.

According to estimates, about 25 per cent of the subscribers in the four metros have been digitised so far.

While in Delhi, only about one million set-top boxes have been installed, in Mumbai nearly 1.5 million households have gone digital.

In Kolkata, only about eight lakh boxes have been installed.

> meenakshi.v@thehindu.co.in