NEW DELHI: Even as two months remain for digital addressable system (DAS) Phase III deadline of 31 December, 2015, a total of 429 multi system operators (MSOs) had obtained licences for DAS as on 21 October.

Of these, 226 MSOs have 10-year licences, whereas 203 have obtained provisional licences since the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has still not received any formal communication of the Home Ministry’s decision to do away with security clearances for MSOs.

According to the last list issued on 30 September, the Ministry had registered a total of 400 MSOs including 173, which were provisional.

Thus while there has been no increase in the number of permanent (10-year) licence holders, the number of provisional MSOs has gone up to 203.

According to the list put on the I&B Ministry’s website, Kal Cables and Digi Cable Network Pvt Ltd of Mumbai remain on the cancellation list.

Thirteen MSOs, which had earlier been granted permanent licences were permitted to change their areas of operation. 

The only new entrant in the permanent licence holder is Nilgiri Cable TV Private Ltd for the third and fourth phase of DAS in Tamil Nadu.