The Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has directed content aggregators Sun, ESPN and MSMD (Sony) to provide their TV channel signals to Noida Software Technology Park (NSTPL) promoted Jain Hits, a satellite-based platform for distributing digital TV channels.
Sun, MSMD (Sony) and ESPN provide more than 50 prominent TV channel signals.
NSTPL is currently the only distribution platform of TV channels that is providing advanced HITS services to consumers through local cable operators.
On 12 September 2013, TDSAT had directed Star and Zee Turner aggregator Media Pro to provide signals to Jain Hits.
Though Jain Hits had approached the authorized content aggregator for these channels owned by Sony, Sun and ESPN, they continued to defer the process for nearly an year on various grounds.
The bench of Justice Aftab Alam and Kuldip Singh was not impressed by the fact that all operators had created fresh Reference Interconnect Offer (RIO) for Hits which is yet to get approval of TRAI. The Bench also asked Counsel of Respondents whether this amounts to breach of violation of Section 3.2 of DAS regulation of cable interconnect agreement.
JK Jain, chairman of Jain TV Group & Founder of NSTPL, said the TDSAT ruling will benefit around 60,000 cable operators across the country.
Jain Hits, a Headend-In-The-Sky (HITS) platform in the country, can now provide the consumer with more than 250 channels including the prominent TV channels of Media Pro, MSMD (Sony), Sun and ESPN.
