Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore yesterday told the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage that the government would not be supporting a conversion box program like that implemented in the U.S. to support the digital broadcast transition. Moore said that the rapid pace of technological change makes it difficult to make a decision and that the transition would be an industry-led one.
Canadian Digital Broadcast Transition Won’t Include Conversion Box Program
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One possible translation?
“We’re going to let the gouging happen.”
This is fine by me. However, what the government needs to do is take steps to ensure that the cable companies don’t use the transition as the excuse for dropping analog cable, as some cable companies seem to be doing in the US. If a cable company wants to drop analog cable it should be truthful that it’s doing it so that it can force you to buy/rent a STB to decrypt its encrypted digital channels – not because the government has mandated it.
Also, it should be noted that there is no real reason to encrypt digital SD channels or HD channels which are also carried over-the-air (CBC, CTV, Global, etc) other than cable company greed.
No arguments here.
I’d be most distressed by such a corporate decision.
Box Needed Now
In some areas of Canada, the cable company has already moved local access programming onto the digital spectrum, i.e. city council meetings. If you want to watch the council meeting broadcast, and you don’t have a digital-ready TV, you need to have a box. Interestingly, one of the cable companies initially stated the price for a box was $55. Now it’s been raised to $75. Until such time as grocery stores and other retailers start offering the boxes for sale at a cheaper price, the cable company can charge what it likes; two years before Canada’s actual digital transition date. Can’t money for converter box coupons be taken out of the profits from the sale of the digital spectrum in Canada?
Yep.
Gouging. That it also prevents proper civic participation is a side benefit.
YA
ya hy convert we make trillions off the stupid people with ancient tech now
look as everywhere goes high tech but Canada , and ten years form now Luxembourg will have it better.
HOW PROUD are you today.
Ya know we should be hanging bad politicians that are screwing us this bad.
no money for broadband to rural , and what does go is gonna get them the same traffic shape crap as we get off the cuff, there should be no excuse to them to be shaped in fact as the networks cant have congestion and once built are only needing odd time for additional capacity .
Ugh, bug, not wheat, wood or fish…
…of no concern to government. Neandethal party no know of … what is word… tech-nol-o-gy?
Lovin the MAN for stickin it to us
It is always interesting to see how governments find very unique ways to squeeze money out of citizens , there is the digi cable transition,people getting arrested for camcorders, whats next…
You can’t leave your house?
If you prefer not to deal with the aggrevation , you could just move into a full furnished apartment,
like
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