NEW DELHI: The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (Tdsat) has asked Set Discovery (now called MSM Discovery) to give its channels to Sun Direct but with the condition that the direct-to-home (DTH) service provider take the entire bouquet.
Sun Direct had asked only for Max, the channel that will show the IPL matches, on an a la carte basis. But Tdsat has told Sun Direct to take all the 15 channels in the One Alliance (Set Discovery operates under this brand) bouquet and work out a deal with the distribution company before the next hearing.
The tribunal has said that the bouquet would be given at the rate of Rs 67 per subscriber per month and signals shall have to be activated by 14 April. Max, which forms part of the One Alliance bouquet, will start telecasting the IPL matches from 18 April.
Sun Direct had been asking only for Max in the One Alliance bouquet, citing Trai's a la carte regulation, for a period of three months. But this was not acceptable to Set Discovery, forcing the DTH player to file a petition with the sector tribunal on 10 April, asking for the Max signal.
The petition came up for hearing today, during which the DTH player spoke of the a la carte provision. But counsel for Set Discovery said that what Sun Direct had been demanding did not make business sense.
They said they were willing to offer their channels to Sun Direct on the same terms as they have done with other DTH players, which is a five-year contract, but Sun Direct wanted a single channel only for the three months so that the IPL matches could be shown to their customers.
They informed the court that during earlier discussions, Sun Direct had been negotiating for all 15 channels, but now it is demanding just Max.
Tdsat, on hearing the arguments, ruled in the interim that the issue of a la carte would be decided when the main arguments are heard. But till then, it ordered One Alliance to give its channels to Sun Direct. But Sun Direct had to take all the 15 channels and couldn't choose just one.
Tdsat asked the two parties to come to a negotiated settlement on the terms and conditions. Both parties have agreed to abide by the interim order.
The next date for hearing is 8 May.
Source - Indiantelevision.com
Sun Direct had asked only for Max, the channel that will show the IPL matches, on an a la carte basis. But Tdsat has told Sun Direct to take all the 15 channels in the One Alliance (Set Discovery operates under this brand) bouquet and work out a deal with the distribution company before the next hearing.
The tribunal has said that the bouquet would be given at the rate of Rs 67 per subscriber per month and signals shall have to be activated by 14 April. Max, which forms part of the One Alliance bouquet, will start telecasting the IPL matches from 18 April.
Sun Direct had been asking only for Max in the One Alliance bouquet, citing Trai's a la carte regulation, for a period of three months. But this was not acceptable to Set Discovery, forcing the DTH player to file a petition with the sector tribunal on 10 April, asking for the Max signal.
The petition came up for hearing today, during which the DTH player spoke of the a la carte provision. But counsel for Set Discovery said that what Sun Direct had been demanding did not make business sense.
They said they were willing to offer their channels to Sun Direct on the same terms as they have done with other DTH players, which is a five-year contract, but Sun Direct wanted a single channel only for the three months so that the IPL matches could be shown to their customers.
They informed the court that during earlier discussions, Sun Direct had been negotiating for all 15 channels, but now it is demanding just Max.
Tdsat, on hearing the arguments, ruled in the interim that the issue of a la carte would be decided when the main arguments are heard. But till then, it ordered One Alliance to give its channels to Sun Direct. But Sun Direct had to take all the 15 channels and couldn't choose just one.
Tdsat asked the two parties to come to a negotiated settlement on the terms and conditions. Both parties have agreed to abide by the interim order.
The next date for hearing is 8 May.
Source - Indiantelevision.com