NEW DELHI: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has set up a Centralised Monitoring System to monitor the progress of digitisation and to ensure the mandatory adherence of transmitting digital encrypted signals by multi-system operators (MSOs).

The Centralised Monitoring System will be able to detect those MSOs who do not carry the mandated encrypted signals. MSOs are required to carry encrypted signals of TV channels in areas where digitisation has been implemented as mandated by Section 4A of Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995. Transmission / Re-transmission of unencrypted signals would amount to violation of terms and conditions of MSOs.

A web based pilot project for the Digital Addressable System (DAS) monitoring system installed at Bangalore is undergoing field trials for this purpose. Once implemented, it will enable the Ministry to keep a watch on the implementation of DAS by all the MSO licensees through this system. To start with, this system will help the users to centrally acquire, log, analyse and prepare report on the status of DAS parameters like total number/name of channels, encryption status etc of cable TV signals of head end of each registered MSO across the country in real time.

This system can be augmented in future for content monitoring of the cable TV channels at local levels. It is expected that the system will also evolve as an alternative indicator of television viewing by consumers.