Pakistan replacing analogue cable system to digital cable TV system

The Cable Operators Association of Pakistan (COAP) will replace analogue cable system to digital cable TV system by the end of 2016 across the country, starting with 12 major cities, at estimated cost of Rs 90 billion. Addressing a press conference, the representatives of COAP along with Absar Alam Chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) said that the association has requested the government to declare cable operators as an industry and provide it tax holiday for importing the material required for digitization of the cable TV network.

With Digital Cable TV, consumers will be able to enjoy high-definition streams on their TVs. However, an additional Set top box — that will cost Rs. 5000 or around — will be needed to get digital cable TV. Here are the cities that will get digital cable transmission within a year:

Karachi
Lahore
Islamabad
Rawalpindi
Peshawar
Multan
Hyderabad
Quetta
Sukkur
Faisalabad
Hassan Abdal
Gujranwala

There is Digital TV in a lot of countries already:

Timeline for the digital switchover

2006: Luxembourg (terrestrial) and the Netherlands

2007: Andorra, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland

2008: Germany

2009: Denmark, Isle of Man, Norway and the United States (full power stations)

2010: Belgium, Croatia, Estonia, Guernsey, Jersey, Latvia, Luxembourg (cable television and satellite), San Marino, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom (Wales)

2011: Austria, Canada (major markets), Cyprus, France, Israel, Japan (except Fukushima, Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures), Malta, Monaco, Turkey and the United Kingdom (Scotland)

2012: Czech Republic, Gibraltar, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Japan (Fukushima, Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures), Lithuania, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Portugal, Slovakia, South Korea, Taiwan and the United Kingdom (England and Northern Ireland)

2013: Australia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Hungary, Republic of Macedonia, Mauritius, New Zealand, Poland and Zimbabwe

2014: Serbia, Iceland and Namibia, Algeria

2015: Belarus, Brunei, Greece, India, Iran, Morocco, Romania, Rwanda, Turkey, Kenya, Uganda and Ghana

2016: Mexico, Mongolia, Laos, Ukraine, Chile and China (CCTV)

2017: Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru and Sri Lanka

2018: Brazil (Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo states), Costa Rica, Singapore, Moldova and El Salvador

2019: Russia and Thailand

2020: Panama, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong, Venezuela and Vietnam

2021: Cuba and Dominican Republic

Finally this is great news. We will get to see High Definition HD, Ultra High Definition and hundreds of new channels in local cable system of Pakistan.

I heard the only issue is, a setup box only supplies one tv, while Pakistan housholds has 3-4 tvs in a house as common. Is there a way to link all tvs with a one expensive setup box?

What Pakistan need is satellite channels to reach every corner.

ghazi52 said:

The Cable Operators Association of Pakistan (COAP) will replace analogue cable system to digital cable TV system by the end of 2016 across the country, starting with 12 major cities, at estimated cost of Rs 90 billion. Addressing a press conference, the representatives of COAP along with Absar Alam Chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) said that the association has requested the government to declare cable operators as an industry and provide it tax holiday for importing the material required for digitization of the cable TV network.

With Digital Cable TV, consumers will be able to enjoy high-definition streams on their TVs. However, an additional Set top box — that will cost Rs. 5000 or around — will be needed to get digital cable TV. Here are the cities that will get digital cable transmission within a year:

Karachi
Lahore
Islamabad
Rawalpindi
Peshawar
Multan
Hyderabad
Quetta
Sukkur
Faisalabad
Hassan Abdal
Gujranwala

Click to expand...

Welcome to the new digital cable world, the more it changes more it remains the same.

No more illegal connections . To top that you will be stuck to one cable service provider in addition to their existing gangland distribution of service area. Every connection will be counted for as it will require a Digital decoder. This means increase in cost.

Every channel will be priced , by the time you pick up a decent ala carte it will increase the total cost significantly. The cablewalas along with TV channels will bundle useless channels with good ones.

No sharing of connection across multiple tv's in the same home as it will require extra digital decoder, meaning counted as new connection with some discount.

Step forward

AsianUnion said:

Finally this is great news. We will get to see High Definition HD, Ultra High Definition and hundreds of new channels in local cable system of Pakistan.

I heard the only issue is, a setup box only supplies one tv, while Pakistan housholds has 3-4 tvs in a house as common. Is there a way to link all tvs with a one expensive setup box?

Click to expand...

Loads of Wireless Tv senders available in the market

HDMI Splitter

They can follow what sky just introduced in uk, their new sky q box, the second box can be connected via blue tooth but need good high speed internet for flawless viewing.

Satellite based system is ideal for Pakistan , as cable system will clutter the lines , neighborhoods since the installation is not done professionally underground

Direct TV style solution is ideal with a Digital Receiver system
Subscription based

Minimum impact on Environment due to Wiring etc

Fibre Optics line should be handled by the Government & Major Telecommunication Companies with goal of 5-7 Years delivery. Private companies will only dig up streets and ruin the wiring for other stuff in ground or electrical cable

Money & Tax collection on Direct TV like system is easier vs Local cable operator as 1 Large Telecom company owns the Direct TV revenues

Respectable speeds are also possible on the Satellite System

You get Digital Output and some lovely Channel features like TV guide


Another feature is that since the broadcast comes from Satellite in Sky , it is not effected by Load Shedding , if you have power generator / solar energy saver system , you can keep updated on the news and entertainment even if the rest of city is down with no Electricity


1/2 Telecom companies could sell the Satellite & System directly to consumer , and customers can pay Monthly Subscription (Rental Fee) - Gov can collect Tax directly from 1/2 Large Telecom company , easy from Revenue generation

Just like Cell phone , the Digital feed can reach even the remote areas of Pakistan (Villages / Small Towns / Mountain Areas )



Digital Dish is quite a small unit but with great performance
and you can record shows in Digital Quality for reviewing



This type of system is immediately usable all over Pakistan not just some cities becasue you are receiving data from Satellite

• Not 100% but I am 60-80% sure you can also watch Netflixs (International) with the internet access by Satellite (Same goods that people enjoy in US or world)

If a channel needs to be placed on Ban , PAMERA can just request 1 company and channel is banned Nation Wide till it gets clearance.

Darth Vader said:

Loads of Wireless Tv senders available in the market

HDMI Splitter

Click to expand...

All additional TV sets to display the same channel which Main TV set ( which subscribed the connection ) is displaying.
The person holding RC of TV box will be in driving seat and needs to be very very careful ...

Generally , Ideally Pakistan Telecommunication Company (if this company Exist) should own this Distribution of Satellite Systems (Direct TV). Selecting the Packages to offer

This approach is a multi billion dollar industry , with recurring billing more revenue
Which can generate $$$ for Pakistan's GDP

a) Entertainment (All channels can be locked with password)
b) Movies (All channels can be locked with password)
c) News (All channels can be locked with password)
d) Local Pakistani Channels

Note :
The systems do come with "Child protection" that is you can lock channels with password for any channels that are for Mature Audience requiring a password key

Most parent only low children to watch TV 2-3 hours during Day time by using the built in password protection so kids cannot turn on TV and watch TV 10 hours a day.

So if parents want they can "Lock" all Western Channels and only open Pakistani Channels and few Cartoon channels for kids


-> While more grown up kids (Teens can watch movies on it) depending on if they do well in
school etc

+ Other benefit is Internet , nice steady connection from Space

Pakistan could in theory , do all this with its own Satellite for digital Internet & Channel with China 100% revenue

• No road drilling
• No need for wiring across cities
• No damage to electrical wires
• No issue of Wire got cut by something service is down

Simple connection "System --> Space Satellite"
Owned by Pakistan (Could be 1 or 5 Satellites)


I heard cable in Pakistan = Some small company running crude wiring around the streets - really just so many thing can go wrong with that approach

** Imagine if you had a game happening in Europe , and in Pakistan Time it is night time
You can just record that show - with DIGITAL quality and watch it when you come home
from work (Common in USA/Europe) not sure if this feature is available in Pakistan

Just like how Digital Phone revolutionized Pakistan

Digital TV by Satellite could revolutionize -> TV (Digital) & Internet with High Speed
Biggest advantage even Ditigal Feed in Villages & Internet

ghazi52 said:

There is Digital TV in a lot of countries already:

Timeline for the digital switchover

Click to expand...

Not sure when the switchover happened in the US. I've had it since at least 2008 with fiber optics.
Certainly the number of channels will explode. I think mine goes to the 1700's...but as somebody mentioned you'll have to pay extra to get many of them.

I think the biggest change was On-Demand. You can now start a movie in HD at any time, pause it, reverse it, etc. It has basically spelled doom for the movie theater business.

Darth Vader said:

Loads of Wireless Tv senders available in the market

HDMI Splitter

Click to expand...

so every TV in the house can watch the same channel?, more use of cell phone to Bhai in the next room to please change channel lol

It will make piracy and streaming of illegal content a bit difficult it will help our media a lot

xyxmt said:

so every TV in the house can watch the same channel?, more use of cell phone to Bhai in the next room to please change channel lol

Click to expand...

There are loads of cheap tv box which Cast around 20 to 30 dollars with kodi already installed
Or can use amazon firestick loads of option

Em using shield as my tv box