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        The biggest cricketing event ever has begun. And guess what has it set off - a beeline of TV viewers heading for Multi-System Operators (MSO) and other service providers for purchasing set-top boxes (STB), change of packages and activations featuring Sony Setmax, which is the official broadcaster of the telecasts of the ninth quadrennial extravaganza which started at 8 pm yesterday.

        Serpentine queues were seen woinding up outside for a long time at the service providers' outlets.

        'We don't bother waiting for a long time as we don't want to even miss the action,' said a woman in her 60s standing in a queue.

        'We have been expecting this event for years and hence waiting for the moment to watch the game does not matter,' said two college students in Chennai.

        'Those living outside the city are lucky to get all channels for a flat rate of about Rs. 150,' said Srinivasan, a cricket fan. ' But we are in the CAS regime, unfortunately. So we have to go for the STBs, even though they are costly'.

        Tamilnadu Cable TV Operators Association's former treasurer P Kasi said that after January, about 50,000 set-top boxes had been sold in the city.

        He said that every shop could at least sell about 40 pieces per month and it would vary depending on the area.

        'The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's order on tariff for pay channels has made the consumers choose channels accordingly. The order, which fixes a ceiling of Rs 5 per pay channel per subscriber per month, became effective from 31 December, 2006,' he added.

        Kasi also felt the price of set- top boxes should come down from

        Rs 3,704 (It was Rs 4,356 in 2003) for many consumers can avail themselves of the facility.

        Apart from the number of set- top boxes being sold out, the demand for Direct-to-home concept of Tatasky, Dish TV and DD's service had also gone up, Kasi added.

        Set-top boxes or not, the love for the gentlemen's game never wanes.