NEW DELHI: The petitions challenging the digital tariff order of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), which were listed for 24 August, are expected to come up before the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (Tdsat) soon.

The petitions by multi-system operators Digicable Networks (India), Mumbai, Delhi Distribution Company, New Delhi, and United Cable Operator’s Welfare Association could not be taken up on 24 August because of the heavy workload before the Tribunal.

Tdsat had earlier listed for 25 August a petition by IndusInd Media and Communications Ltd (IMCL) in this regard but has now decided to hear all the petitions together.

News broadcasters NDTV, Time Global (holding company of Times Now), India TV, TV Today, Total TV, and News Broadcaster‘s Association (NBA), Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), and other broadcasters have been permitted to be a party to the petitions.

Digicable has approached the broadcast tribunal opposing the sector regulator’s new revenue sharing mechanism. In its petition, Digicable said Trai’s tariff order is "unjust, unfair, unreasonable, arbitrary, irrational, and discriminatory" and is tilted towards the broadcasters.

According to the Trai tariff order, charges collected from the subscription of paid channels or bouquet of paid channels shall be shared in the ratio of 65:35 between MSO and the local cable operator respectively.

Earlier, United Cable Operator’s Welfare Association, New Delhi, had approached the Tdsat seeking better revenue share from the MSOs and an extension in date for digitisation.