NEW DELHI: The deadline for multi-system operators (MSOs) wanting to apply for digital addressable systems (DAS) licence for phase III and IV may be extended by four to five weeks.

This was indicated during the Task Force meeting on DAS held today, presided over by Ministry Additional Secretary J S Mathur and attended among others by the Adviser for DAS, Yogendra Pal.

MSOs were asked to provide detailed seeding plans for the third phase which concludes in December next year.

MSOs who want to complete DAS in their areas even before the last date on a voluntary basis were asked to negotiate directly with broadcasters, and with the subscribers in their respective areas.

When some MSOs and cable operators referred to some ‘cable-dark’ areas – areas not reached by cable operators, the Ministry wanted the MSOs and other stakeholders to identify such areas.

The meeting was held in keeping with an assurance last month that the meeting would be held every month.

In the last meeting that was held on 21 November it was told that a total of 11 crore set top boxes will be needed for the third and final phase of digital addressable system of which only three crore will be for direct-to-home platforms.