According to a report by The Star, analysts at Maybank Investment Bank (IB) Research had recently noted that if media streaming boxes were to be banned in Malaysia, the research house believes that the move could benefit Astro significantly.
This comes after Singapore’s Law Ministry saying it would consider proposing a ban on TV boxes that would allow consumers to view pirated content.
This, of course, refers to unlicensed devices that currently flood the market. Because TV boxes – both licensed and unlicensed – have increasingly become the go-to option for households, it brings about the issue of what constitutes as unlawful as far as ownership is concerned.
Licensed boxes such as the Xiaomi Mi Box and Android TV are in the clear. As for it’s unlicensed counterparts that are able to receive international TV, according to BolehCompare it’s not illegal to purchase and own such a device, but installing and using it is.
A law that bans TV boxes would be inherently biased considering Astro’s position as the country’s leading Pay-TV operator. However, unlicensed devices should remain illegal and consumers should be made aware of this.
Consuming unlicensed content is technically piracy and should be avoided. However, a ban on all TV boxes seems a bit over the top. Perhaps a more ideal solution would be regulate the companies that produce these devices, making sure that all offerings are licensed. The devices and the streaming apps that are available should adopt a pay-to-use model to offset the cost of licensing.
Image credit: freestocks.org
At the mean time, you can make use of the legitimate resources you have now which still allows you access enough content to last a life time. So, Netflix and chill anyone?