Encryption of set-top boxes: Commission heads for compromise

Television consumers should be able to freely choose the encryption device for digital cable television under reasonable conditions. The National Council's Telecommunications Commission (KVF) has spoken out in favor of this and instructed the Federal Council to create the legal basis for this. However, the principle of free choice should not disproportionately restrict the legitimate economic interests of providers. In addition, competition between the various technologies should not be made unnecessarily difficult. This applies to the IPTV sector, for example.
Simonetta Sommaruga, member of the Council of States, had called in a motion for all free digital television channels to be broadcast unencrypted on cable networks. This was after Cablecom had also encrypted those channels that it received free of charge. The Council of States approved the motion and the committee is now trying to find a compromise between the motion and the interests of the cable network operators, who have spoken out against the motion. The National Council is expected to vote on Sommaruga's motion in spring 2009, with the law not expected to come into force until 2011 at the earliest.