MUMBAI- MSO Ortel Communications and broadcaster Star India will sign a deal on the basis of reference interconnection offer (RIO) for digital addressable system (DAS) areas.
Ortel and Star will also negotiate and sign a deal within two weeks for non-DAS areas, the Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has said.
The two agreements pertaining to DAS and non-DAS areas expired on 30 June.
Ortel told the tribunal that it wanted to renew the agreement afresh but on RIO terms of the respondent. Star did not contest the MSO’s desire to sign a deal on RIO terms.
Till the signing of fresh interconnection agreement for non-DAS areas, the terms and conditions of old agreement would continue to govern the relationship between the parties.
The tribunal has directed the MSO to go by the payment schedule and other terms of the previous agreement.
While directing Star to reconnect the signals to the MSO within 24 hours, the tribunal has asked Ortel to immediately pay Rs 3.35 crore (Rs 33.5 million), which is 50% of the outstanding amount until June 2016. The MSO owes an amount of Rs 6.78 crore (Rs 67.8 million) to the broadcaster.
The balance amount of Rs 39.93 lakh (Rs 3.9 million) as well as the instalment amount agreed on would have to be paid by 25 July and 31 July respectively. The petitioner would also adhere to the payment schedule.
Ortel had filed a petition against disconnection of signals by Star with effect from 2 July in view of various notices issued under relevant regulations for both DAS and non-DAS areas.
Earlier, the MSO had come before the tribunal against these notices and when the matter was taken up on 27 May, it submitted that the parties had arrived at an agreement and hence it wanted to withdraw the petition. Accordingly, the petition was dismissed as withdrawn.
The withdrawal of the petition was based on a mutual agreement arrived at between the parties, which had been documented in the form of emails dated 26 May and a communication to the MSO dated 17 June.
Ortel was required to pay Rs 3.99 crore (Rs 39.9 million) and Rs 6.78 crore (Rs 67.8 million) by 31 May and 30 June respectively. In addition, it had to pay outstanding for the months of April, May and June.
For April, the MSO had to pay Rs 1.39 crore (Rs 13.9 million) by 31 July. The outstanding dues for the months of May and June amounting to Rs 1.38 crore each was supposed to be paid by 30 August.
In fact, the MSO gave cheques only for half the amount of Rs 6.78 crore (Rs 67.8 million) and the balance is still to be paid.
Star India counsel submitted that no payment was received against these cheques as there was a ‘stop payment’ instruction by the MSO to the bank in view of the disconnection.
The counsel also submitted that the MSO was resorting to piracy for which FIRs had been lodged. However, the claim was denied by Ortel counsel.
Ortel and Star to sign RIO-based deal for DAS | TelevisionPost.com
Ortel and Star will also negotiate and sign a deal within two weeks for non-DAS areas, the Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has said.
The two agreements pertaining to DAS and non-DAS areas expired on 30 June.
Ortel told the tribunal that it wanted to renew the agreement afresh but on RIO terms of the respondent. Star did not contest the MSO’s desire to sign a deal on RIO terms.
Till the signing of fresh interconnection agreement for non-DAS areas, the terms and conditions of old agreement would continue to govern the relationship between the parties.
The tribunal has directed the MSO to go by the payment schedule and other terms of the previous agreement.
While directing Star to reconnect the signals to the MSO within 24 hours, the tribunal has asked Ortel to immediately pay Rs 3.35 crore (Rs 33.5 million), which is 50% of the outstanding amount until June 2016. The MSO owes an amount of Rs 6.78 crore (Rs 67.8 million) to the broadcaster.
The balance amount of Rs 39.93 lakh (Rs 3.9 million) as well as the instalment amount agreed on would have to be paid by 25 July and 31 July respectively. The petitioner would also adhere to the payment schedule.
Ortel had filed a petition against disconnection of signals by Star with effect from 2 July in view of various notices issued under relevant regulations for both DAS and non-DAS areas.
Earlier, the MSO had come before the tribunal against these notices and when the matter was taken up on 27 May, it submitted that the parties had arrived at an agreement and hence it wanted to withdraw the petition. Accordingly, the petition was dismissed as withdrawn.
The withdrawal of the petition was based on a mutual agreement arrived at between the parties, which had been documented in the form of emails dated 26 May and a communication to the MSO dated 17 June.
Ortel was required to pay Rs 3.99 crore (Rs 39.9 million) and Rs 6.78 crore (Rs 67.8 million) by 31 May and 30 June respectively. In addition, it had to pay outstanding for the months of April, May and June.
For April, the MSO had to pay Rs 1.39 crore (Rs 13.9 million) by 31 July. The outstanding dues for the months of May and June amounting to Rs 1.38 crore each was supposed to be paid by 30 August.
In fact, the MSO gave cheques only for half the amount of Rs 6.78 crore (Rs 67.8 million) and the balance is still to be paid.
Star India counsel submitted that no payment was received against these cheques as there was a ‘stop payment’ instruction by the MSO to the bank in view of the disconnection.
The counsel also submitted that the MSO was resorting to piracy for which FIRs had been lodged. However, the claim was denied by Ortel counsel.
Ortel and Star to sign RIO-based deal for DAS | TelevisionPost.com
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