Project to rectify TV fee stacking, complex navigation

A pilot project aimed at addressing fee stacking and complex navigation for TV services has delivered substantial results and will now be carried out nationwide, according to a meeting hosted by the National Radio and Television Administration in Beijing on Friday.

In August, the administration conducted a study covering nationwide cable TV, IPTV and internet TV services, selecting seven pilot organizations, including Beijing Gehua CATV Network, the Shanghai branch of China Mobile and the Guangdong branch of China Telecom.

The seven pilot organizations improved 129 million cable TV, IPTV and internet TV terminal devices, cutting down paid packages by more than 50 percent, with the highest reduction reaching 79 percent. Free content is also increasingly available to TV users, as 20 provincial-level cable TV networks have introduced a section offering free access to classic programs.

In terms of making TV operations simpler, 80 percent of cable TVs and 85 percent of IPTV terminals nationwide now allow users to watch live programs right after turning on the devices. Apart from outmoded settop boxes, the boot time and start-up advertisement combined have all been reduced to under 35 seconds.

The meeting also outlined the framework to promote the project nationwide, stating that the national objectives by the end of this year are to enable all users to watch live programs upon turning on the TV, reduce paid packages by 50 percent, and enhance consumer transparency.

The project aims to enhance TV accessibility and boost user satisfaction across the nation. Replacement plans will be carried out for users with outmoded set-top boxes.

chengyuezhu@chinadaily.com.cn