TV viewers may soon be able to switch service providers without changing set top box

TV viewers may be able to switch their DTH or cable service providers without changing the set top box (STB) by the end of this year, according to regulator Trai’s Chairman R S Sharma. “Since last two years we have been trying to make STBs interoperable. Large part of problem has been resolved. There are some business challenges (which) remain… we are looking at this to happen by end of this year,” Sharma told reporters at an event here Tuesday.

He added that interoperability in a product should not come as an “after thought” but should be in place at the product planning stage itself.