iCAS pulls down prices of set-top boxes

Development of an Indian conditional access system (iCAS) and growing digitisation of broadcasting have brought down prices of set-top boxes as the software cost has declined to Rs 50 per device from Rs 500 in 2011.

A quality digital set-top box costs Rs 1,250-1,300, far cheaper than in 2011 when a poor quality set-top box used to sell for Rs 2,200. The government estimates the projected demand of cable set-top boxes will soon reach 70 million.

The government had announced digitisation of cable TV in 2011 but at that time there used to be a shortage of set-top boxes and