Illegal decoders seized in raid by StarHub and police

The moment has come. StarHub together with the Singapore Police had done a raid this week. Hundreds of illegal decoders were seized during the raid. This might be the waking up call for people using illegal decoders or those who sold them. More information in the Press Release.

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Hundreds of Illegal Decoders Seized in Raid

-StarHub reinforces commitment to protect content over its network-

Singapore, 20 September 2013 – StarHub, the largest pay TV operator in Singapore, announced today that it has successfully raided a storage facility of illegal set-top boxes and uncovered a few hundred illegal set-top boxes.  The raid, conducted with help from the Police, was carried out earlier this week.

Since early 2013, StarHub has been tracking a syndicate that was distributing sales 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.  StarHub will follow up with criminal prosecution against the illegal importer.

It is a criminal 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.

In addition to legal action, StarHub has been deploying technological means to prevent illegal boxes from accessing StarHub’s content. StarHub is currently migrating pay TV customers to a new encryption standard that cannot be unscrambled by existing illegal boxes.

“StarHub takes a very serious view of content piracy and the sale of illegal boxes. As these illegal boxes are not made available through StarHub, consumers who purchase these decoders are doing so at their own risk.  We strongly encourage consumers not to purchase these illegal set-top boxes.  We will continue to employ both legal and technological means to safeguard our content,” said Ms Jeannie Ong, Chief Marketing Officer, StarHub.

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About StarHub

StarHub is Singapore’s fully-integrated info-communications company, offering a full range of information, communications and entertainment services for both consumer and corporate markets. StarHub operates a mobile network that provides 4G, 3G and 2G services. It also manages an island-wide HFC network that delivers multi-channel pay TV services (including HDTV, Internet TV and on-demand services) as well as ultra-high speed residential broadband services. StarHub operates an extensive fixed business network that provides a wide range of data, voice and wholesale services. Over Singapore’s fibre-based Next Generation Nationwide Broadband Network, StarHub offers a broad range of home and business broadband plans along with a host of advanced media-rich value-added services, such as IPTV for commercial entities.

Launched in 2000, StarHub has become one of Singapore’s most innovative info-communications providers, and the pioneer in ‘hubbing’ – the ability to deliver unique integrated and converged services to all its customers. StarHub, listed on the main board of the Singapore Exchange since October 2004, is a component stock of the Straits Times Index and the MSCI Singapore Free Index.

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