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Tdsat asks ESPN to provide signals to Sun Direct
Tdsat asks ESPN to provide signals to Sun Direct
NEW DELHI: Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (Tdsat) has directed sports broadcaster ESPN to provide its signals to Chennai-based DTH operator Sun Direct at 50 per cent of analogue cable rates and also on a la carte basis.
Justice Arun Kumar, heading the Tdsat bench, said: “The sports broadcaster will supply signals as per the directions of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) of its channels within one week from the date of the order passed on a la carte basis at 50 per cent of its declared non-Cas cable rates.”
However, if ESPN's challenge against Trai's regulation over DTH pricing is upheld, then Sun would have to pay tariffs in accordance with that final order.
During the proceedings, the counsel for Sun Direct submitted that as per interconnection regulations of Trai as a DTH operator, it is bound to receive the supply of the signals of the three channels - ESPN, Star Sports and Star Cricket.
The DTH operator’s counsel further argued that as per Trai’s regulation, it should be allowed to pick and choose channels of ESPN rather than adding all the three channels in the basic package.
ESPN's counsel argued that it has already challenged the entire Trai regulation directing broadcasters to give their channels to DTH at half the cable rates.
"Our petition challenging Trai's regulation is listed on 13 January for final hearing," submitted the ESPN counsel.
The case has been listed for hearing on 10 February, 2009.
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ABDUL-AZIZ
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25-11-2008, 12:47 AM
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