NEW DELHI: A total of 104 multi-system operators (MSOs) all over the country have been granted permanent registration for 10 years to operate the digital addressable system while the licences of 16 MSOs have been cancelled.

The MSOs in both the approved and the cancelled list had been given provisional permission earlier.

Those who have got permission include IndusInd Media and Communications, Hathway Cable & Datacom, Manthan Broadband, Den Network, Home Cable, Digicable Network, Delhi Distribution Company and Asianet Satellite Communications.

Kolkata based MSO Digicable Communications has been denied permission after the break-up of the joint venture with Mumbai based Digicable Networks, which has received permission for Greater Mumbai, National Capital Territory of Delhi and Greater Kolkata.

Digicable Network India managing director & CEO Jagjit Singh Kohli said that they would ask for a stay on MIB's decision to cancel the licence in the court. 

Other cancelled permissions include Skynet Digital Services, Jai Maa Vaishno Entertainment, Intermedia Cable Communications, Supersonic Networks and Godfather Communications.

Industry sources said that the approved list was in addition to the 140 whose names had been approved in March last year.

The Ministry website mib.nic.in has added information about the approved MSOs, listing the areas for which they have been given permission.

The website also contains the reasons in brief for the denial of permission to those which have failed to get the licences. In most cases, it is due to failure to get clearance from the Home Ministry.

The new list is the outcome of Open Houses held by the Ministry with various MSOs, while some have come as a result of court cases.