Cable firm warns vs. sale of unregistered decoders

CEBU, Philippines -The owner and operator of Dream Satellite TV has warned the public against commercial establishments that sell unregistered digital receivers or set top boxes because they are illegal and subject to confiscation.

The Philippine Multi-Media Systems, Inc. further warned that proliferation of set top boxes likewise constitutes loss of government revenue due to non-payment of duties and taxes, as these boxes and decoders are smuggled into the country.

With such proliferation, the company urged the Bureau of Customs and Bureau of Internal Revenue to urgently look into the matter because it could have an adverse impact on the economy, especially now that the government needs more revenue to cope with the global economic crisis.

Manuel F. Abellada, PMSI president, said there are easy ways to determine whether a digital receiver or set top boxes are illegal and therefore should be avoided by the buying public.

The first test, he explained, is when the illegal dealer offers the customer free subscription, which is usually the enticement to unsuspecting customers.

The second test, is when an illegal dealer offers his digital receiver or set top box at a much lower price compared to the standard price of registered and authorized dealers.

Abellada said illegal commercial establishments in Metro Manila and other parts of the country have been resorting to a variety of modus operandi to access to Dream Satellite TV and evade the monthly service subscription.

Dream Integrated Receiver Decoder or set top boxes are reprogrammed to decrypt Dream Satellite signal or access.

Abellada said that an agent goes house-to-house to “borrow” the smart cards of customers for reprogramming and offers no monthly subscription fee but charge a fee for decrypting the Dream signal, ranging from P3,500 up to P10,000.

Abellada added that as part of Dream Satellite TV security, the company’s broadcast team uses security “keys” which are changed often.

“When this takes place, the “free access” expires and the customer can no longer access the Dream signal. Once this happens, the agent disappears, and so does the customer’s investment,” Abellada said in a press statement sent to The FREEMAN.

The company added that the illegal use of digital satellite receivers of set top boxes violates several laws, including Sections 16 and 19 of the NTC Memorandum circular 4-3-99 which implements Republic Acts Nos. 7925 and 3846, as amended, and Executive Orders Nos. 546, series of 1979 and 467, series of 1998.

Abellada added that the unauthorized access to Dream Satellite constitutes theft and infringes on the property rights of PMSI. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/WAB (THE FREEMAN)