MIB: MSOs can now operate beyond registered areas

The MSOs were earlier required to submit fresh applications to expand services to other areas, other than the one for which registration was done

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Mumbai | January 30, 2017

In its circular dated January 27, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has permitted the registered Multi-system operators (MSOs) to operate in any part of the country. Prior to this, the MSOs were allowed to operate only in the specific area for which the permissions were sought.

Now it has been decided that all the registered MSOs are free to operate in any part of the country, irrespective of registration for specified digital addressable system (DAS) notified area(s) granted by the Ministry of l&B.

In earlier situation, the MSOs were required to submit in a fresh application to the ministry to expand services in other areas (other than the area for which registration was done). Also, the ministry was caught up with registering the MSOs for the DAS Phase III and IV areas.

The circular stated, “If any registered MSO has operationalised the service in any DAS notified areas (s), in any part of the country, it would be treated as having been implemented the service on his part irrespective of the number of the set-top-boxes (STBs) installed by him. However, the registered MSO has to submit the details of headend, SMS, subscribers' list and a self-certificate that he is carrying all the mandatory TV channels, within six months from the date of issuance of MSO registration, to the MIB, failing which the MSO registration is liable to get cancelled/ suspended.”

As per the ministry's update on January 4, it granted provisional registration to 901 MSOs, including the revised area of operation and correction in company name. The ministry granted 229 permanent registrations to MSOs. In addition, it listed 44 MSOs whose licences were either cancelled or cases closed.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

Info@BestMediaInfo.com