Updated: 05/07/2014 19:00 | By Channel NewsAsia
StarHub takes two suspected dealers to court over illegal set-top boxes
SINGAPORE: StarHub commenced criminal prosecution against two suspected dealers of illegal set-top boxes.
Shaun Foo Yong Chun, 27, and Daniel Chen Wenqiang, 32, appeared in court on Wednesday to face charges for criminal offences under the Broadcasting Act in connection with the distribution of the illegal set-top boxes.
If convicted, they face a fine of up to S$40,000, or imprisonment of up to three years, or both.
Since early last year, the pay-TV operator has been tracking a syndicate that was distributing flyers for the sale of illegal set-top boxes that claim to be able to unscramble StarHub TV content.
After months of investigation, the importer of these boxes was identified.
In September last year, StarHub, with help from the Police, raided a storage facility which uncovered a few hundred illegal set-top boxes.
In a statement, the operator said: "As part of our continuous efforts to strengthen our network, StarHub recently completed an upgrading exercise migrating our pay TV customers to an enhanced encryption standard, which requires a new security smart card to decrypt our broadcast signals. This renders the illegal set-top boxes ineffective."
It is an offence to sell, import or manufacture illegal set-top boxes.
It is also against the law for consumers to tap into StarHub's network using illegal boxes, with the intention to intercept and receive the content signals without authorisation. - CNA/de
