AIDCF files plea before Kerala HC as broadcasters send disconnection notice

The All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) has appealed before the Kerala High Court against certain broadcasters for forcing them to implement NTO 3.0. 

Broadcasters like Zee Entertainment, Viacom 18, Culver Max Entertainment, and Disney Star had served disconnection notice to multi-system operators (MSOs) such as GTPL, NXT Digital, Asianet Digital Network, Hathway Digital, Den Networks, and UCN Cable Networks. The notices were issued for not signing the inter-connection agreement as per the NTO.  

The broadcasters had emailed the majority of the MSOs seeking disconnection.  

The Thursday’s application is a part of AIDCF’s main petition demanding a stay on the implementation of the NTO 3.0. The court will hear the petition on Wednesday. 

The cable operators’ main concern is that the broadcasters are pressurizing them to implement the new pricing regime before the high court rules on the issue. 

The cable federation also blamed the TRAI for not taking a strong position in its counter affidavit about the actual price to be paid by the end customer. 

The federation blamed the TRAI for the ‘arbitrary and irrational price increase’ allowed by it.