The existing permission-holders of Headend-In-The-Sky service-ASC Enterprises (now Dish TV) and Noida Software Technology Park Ltd-will be allowed to start HITS operation
NEW DELHI: The existing permission-holders of Headend-In-The-Sky (HITS) service-ASC Enterprises (now Dish TV) and Noida Software Technology Park Ltd-will be allowed to start HITS operation, provided they give an undertaking to the government that they would migrate to the new regime within three months of the notification of the fresh licensing norms.
Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) Nripendra Misra stated this in a letter to the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry secretary Asha Swaroop on Friday.
Although Trai had issued recommendations for HITS operation, mainly related to band-neutrality and uplinking conditions, last year, recently the regulator revised its stand on some of the issues.
However, Trai’s recent recommendations did not say anything clearly on the current licencees.
So, on Friday, Misra’s letter to Swaroop was accompanied by a set of recommendations for the current permission holders of HITS-Dish TV and Noida Software Technology Park.
Dish TV had launched its HITS service in August 2003, but later surrendered the satellite transponder capacity.
Even Noida Software Technology Park had received permission for HITS in 2003 but did not start the service.
“To ensure faster digitalisation and addressability in the cable sector and to ensure greater competition, it is desirable that these permission holders should be allowed to provide the HITS operation on the existing terms and conditions, till at least such time that the terms and conditions of HITS licence are notified by the government of India,” Trai has recommended.
Besides, the government will also consider requests received from HITS permission holders for approvals on issues like change of satellite, additional channels, etc, within the framework of the existing HITS permission, according to the regulator.
Also, a HITS permission holder would not be required to furnish a performance bank guarantee for migrating to the new licensing regime, if it meets the rollout obligation.
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