China's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television passed a recommendation on June 27th regarding the acceleration of digital television in China. The recommendation stipulated that free STBs (Set Top Boxes) should be used to quicken the transfer to digital signals throughout the country's city's and towns. Offered through local cable operators, costs would be offset by added services and higher fees for encrypted channels. The first cities to receive the free boxes will be Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Chongqing.