The Brazilian Federal Justice has decided to ban the sale, import and advertising of the STBs that enabled illegal Pay-TV channel access, known as AZBox. The process against such devices was led by the Brazilian Pay-TV Association, among other entities.
According to the aforementioned association, between 500,000 and 700,000 devices of this kind are commercialized in the country, thus producing industry monthly losses of about USD 53 million. In addition to such agency, the Brazilian National Pay-TV Operator Trade Union (SETA, according to its Portuguese acronym) and the National Pay-TV System and Special System Workers’ Trade Union (SINCAB, according to its Portuguese acronym) have also promoted processes against the illegal utilization of such devices.
The judge who took the decision -Marcelo Mesquita Saraiva- banned the commercialization of AZBox, Azamerica and Lexusbox STBs, on the grounds of disloyal competition and their attempting against the General Telecommunications Law, according to what G1 portal has confirmed.
In Latin America, many agencies have expressed their concerns about such devices’ growth, such as the Paraguayan Cable Operators’ Chamber and the Uruguayan TV-Subscribers Chamber. In Chile, the Sub-Secretary of Telecommunications has already stated that “the utilization of such devices to gain access to encrypted Pay-TV channels that require the authorization of their broadcasters pursuant to Copyright is banned”. In such country, last October, a procedure where 2,800 AZboxes was carried out as a result of a denounce filed by Movistar internationally.
Esta decisão, é porque as operadoras de tv brasileira, querem roubar sozinhas. E os politicos a maioria bandido, tomam essas decisões, juntos com o judiciários. Porque estão sendo prejudicados, estam recebendo menos das empresas de tv, para ficar do lado delas.
ass.: O fundido do povo.