ACN OPENS PANDORA'S BOX OF SET TOP IN ANDAMAN

Port Blair, 19th October/- The Director General of Police, Mr. SBS Deol formally launched the Andaman Cable Network, ACN's long-anticipated digital cable television service at the city's Hotel TSG Emerald View, this afternoon. Speaking on the occasion, a candid Mr. Deol took a trip down the memory lane, sharing his views about the process of advancement in the field of sound and moving picture technology in the country and said that it has been an elating experience for his generation to watch the advent of superior and modish technology in the country that has finally lead to the introduction of digital television service even in these far-flung islands. He added that the chic service is expected to open up new vistas in terms of television viewing for the islanders who have very limited sources of entertainment available to them.

Briefing the gathering about the new technological spruce up, the Director of ACN, Mr. TSG Dinakaran said that it was a herculean task for the small syndicate of ACN to effect the service made mandatory by the Government of India, in the islands, on their own. He said that the entire process of digitalisation of the cable service that was required to be completed within the stipulated deadline of October, 31st, has been successfully accomplished much before many of the metros could do in the mainland India.

Detailing the changes brought about with the implementation of the technology, he said that the ACN is providing MPEG-2 Set Top Boxes to the islanders at a competitive price of Rs. 2,200 and the customers will have to pay a constant monthly subscription of Rs. 350 for the 300 channels that will be available with the new service. The current analog cable service is being continued up to the 1st of November, 2014 in a bid to enable smooth transition to the digital service, after which it will be mandatory for all the customers to install Set Top Boxes throughout the country. He added that the 15 odd channels, inlcuding NDTV 24/7, ABP News etc. that have been taken off the analog service will not be available anymore as they are having to adjust the same with the available bandwidth together with the digital service.

When asked by the media about the possibility of reduction in the subscription amount of Rs. 250 for the present analog service, he said that it will remain the same, despite the 15 odd channels being taken off the service, as the ACN had not increased the same despite the increasing costs of operation for a long time. He, further, informed that the new Set Top Boxes will also provide value added services like PVR for recording the favourite programs, facility of easy access to 8 channels of choice and an easy learning remote that can also be used for handling the basic TV functions, among the rest.

The function was attended by the Station Head of Doordarshan, Port Blair, Mr. Mohan. R, Assistant Director of PIB, Mr. A. Dhanasekharan, representatives of the Andaman Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ACCI), media persons and other distinguished guests.