TDSAT directs Karnataka MSO to pay monthly subscription pending dispute with Star India

TDSAT directs Karnataka MSO to pay monthly subscription pending dispute with Star India

TDSAT

NEW DELHI: The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has directed Karnataka based multi system operator (MSO) V4 Media to make payment of the monthly subscription fee at the rate of the last invoice raised by Star India until settlement of their dispute.

TDSAT chairman Aftab Alam and members Kuldip Singh and B B Srivastava listed the matter for 2 March and asked V4 Media counsel V Subrahmaniam to file the position about ownership pattern of the MSO.

Earlier, the parties had been negotiating for entering into a fresh agreement. According to Subrahmaniam, the negotiation was not making any headway because Star India insisted on a 10 per cent increase in the subscriber base over the last agreement.

V4 Media, however was unable to accept the demand and according to Subrahmaniam, there was no actual increase in the MSO’s subscriber base.

Subrahmaniam also informed there was a split in the partnership firm V4 Media and after the split, the two sides also split up the earlier subscriber base.

She submitted that she would file the deed under which the partnership was reconstituted and the current SLR of the V4 Media following the reconstitution at Star India’s Mangalore office. On receipt of this, Star would then inform the Tribunal about its stand in the matter.