Whatever happened to DTH?

It is over a year since the DTH auction was held in the country, but the launch of the much-awaited service is still in limbo. The case is in the court and with no final decision in sight the only casualty is subscribers. While our neighbouring countries are upgrading to high definition (HD) TV viewership, the Pakistani viewer is left at the mercy of substandard cable networks. Not only the quality of analogue and even digital cable is below the mark, the attitude and preferences for media networks on the part of owners/management is also a great nuisance for customers.

It is time the authorities concerned looked into the matter in a serious manner and expedited the process of DTH launch. Even in case of new bidding, the services can be initiated within months. The resolution of the issue will save the Pakistani people from paying heavy monthly subscription fees to foreign DTH service providers.

Malik Mohammad Akram Ali

Lahore