KOLKATA: Commending the decision of the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal’s (TDSAT) to put Star India channels on a la carte, the network said with this it is likely to introduce the concept of packaging.

Star India legal & regulatory senior vice president Pulak Bagchi and distribution strategy & marketing senior vice president Vivek Takalkar were in the city to explain the benefits of packaging.

The officials from the network highlighted that even though a number of cable TV homes in phase I and II are digitised, the addressability of digitisation has not yet been completed.

They further said that since the main aim of digitisation was to offer choice to the customers in terms of channels they want to subscribe, Star India would offer the bouquet of channels via different packs and thus, offer true benefits of digitisation.

“Customers would get the real choice,” the star official said.

Multi system operators (MSOs) have already met Star India representatives two or three times and are waiting for an “amicable solution”, and if they don’t hear from the Star in next 24 hours, the MSO are most likely to move to the RIO rates options, said Siticable Kolkata director Suresh Sethiya.

“We met with Star India people to find a way out for the RIO rates. The rates should be fashioned in such a way that the broadcaster does not lose revenue and at the same time, consumers do not have to shell out huge amount to watch cable TV,” Sethiya said.

When asked to comment on the TDSAT order which directs the MSOs to put Star channels on RIO from 10 November, Sethiya said the MSOs will have to sign the contract with Star. “MSO would do it in next couple of days and we will run campaign in every media and our channels so that the consumers are well informed,” he concluded.