NEW DELHI: Two local cable operators (LCOs) of Punjab, who are members of the Amritsar Cable TV Operators Sangharsh Committee, have been asked by the Telecon Disputes Settlement and Arbitration Tribunal (TDSAT) to settle their dues with multi system operator (MSO) Fastway Transmission Pvt. Ltd., Amritsar before the case can proceed further.

As the two - Bhatti Cable and Sajjan Cable – are unable to clear all the dues in one payment, the Tribunal accepted their plea to pay in two instalments. Both have already cleared all dues till February this year. Bhatti Cable, admittedly, has 953 functional set-top-boxes (STBs), whereas Sajjan Cable has 622 STBs.

The dues against Bhatti Cable upto 30 September amount to Rs 6,66,700 and against Sajjan Cable is Rs 4,38,500. 

Bhatti Cable is willing to pay to the respondent the sum of Rs 4,30,000 (that would include the subscription fee for the month of September 2015) this month. On the other hand, Sajjan Cable will pay the sum of Rs 2,30,000 (including the subscription fee for September 2015). 

If the LCOs fail to clear off the balance dues by 30 October, it would be open to Fastway to discontinue the supply of its signals to them, the Tribunal said.

Apart from payment of the arrears, both the local cable operators will also pay the monthly subscription fee for October 2015.

In case any of the STBs with the subscribers of the two cable operators is not operational in the meanwhile, they will give intimation to the Fastway and shall also return the non-operational STBs.