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SINGAPORE: It looks like multiple set top boxes for pay-TV are here to stay. And analysts said this could get worse if more players enter the scene with the Next Generation National Broadband Network.
As StarHub and SingTel battle for viewers, industry players have been talking about the need for a common standard and a common set top box. One telco analyst said that is a possibility but there are issues to be resolved first.
Kenneth Liew, senior market analyst at IDC Asia Pacific, said: "There may a player that would like to make sure all content providers provide all their services to a single set top box.
"But it is hard for the different carriers to actually work together to have a business model that benefits all of them and actually run on a single set top box, unless they are able to work out a profit-sharing model."
But there are technical considerations too. Mr Liew said: "Unless you have a set top box that allows the consumer to subscribe to two different kinds of networks. Then (it is) possible, because you will still be paying on two different platforms."
StarHub has just offered to carry SingTel's pay-TV content so that consumers need only deal with one set-top box.
But SingTel said in an email response that it already has made investments to provide a superior product that cannot be enjoyed on a traditional cable TV network and which is also fibre-ready to take advantage of the next-generation high bandwidth network.
Many of the subscribers Channel NewsAsia spoke to, while hopeful for a better solution, were primarily resigned to the fact that they will have to end up with two plans and two set top boxes.
"We are going to have so many set top boxes in the house, what's the point? They should share. I mean it will be more convenient to the users," said a subscriber.
"If you look at other countries, you have an option of getting the channels on the same box. But here, it's annoying - it's not easy," said another.
The government said recently it is still studying how best to regulate the pay-TV market.
- CNA/ir
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