NEW DELHI: In the legal spat between ESPN and Tata Sky, the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (Tdsat) today allowed the direct-to-home (DTH) operator to beam the sportscaster's channels on a la carte basis after discharging it from an undertaking submitted before the Delhi High Court, reports PTI.
ESPN and Tata Sky have been fighting over unbundling of the former's three channels - Star Sports, ESPN and Star Cricket. ESPN is keen to offer the three channels in a bouquet and in the basic package. Tata Sky, on the other hand, wants to offer the channels on a la carte basis.
In an undertaking submitted before the High Court on 6 June 2008, Tata Sky had said it would not remove the three channels from its package."The petitioner (TataS ky) is relieved of its undertaking provided to the Delhi High Court on 6 June, 2008 that it would restore all subscribers of Tata Sky to a pack exclusive of the three ESPN channels," the PTI report quoted the Tdsat chairman Justice Arun Kumar as saying.
Meanwhile, the tribunal has also ordered Tata Sky to pay the due amount to ESPN till 31 May within 10 days.
ESPN is claiming a due of Rs 700 million from Tata Sky with whom its subscription agreement expired on 15 March, the PTI report said.
The tribunal has not passed any order regarding the payment of Star Cricket for the months of June and July, our correspondent adds. Both the parties have been given time to negotiate the terms and conditions. Failing settlement, this aspect will be decided by the tribunal.
The case will be heard on 23 September.
ESPN and Tata Sky have been fighting over unbundling of the former's three channels - Star Sports, ESPN and Star Cricket. ESPN is keen to offer the three channels in a bouquet and in the basic package. Tata Sky, on the other hand, wants to offer the channels on a la carte basis.
In an undertaking submitted before the High Court on 6 June 2008, Tata Sky had said it would not remove the three channels from its package."The petitioner (TataS ky) is relieved of its undertaking provided to the Delhi High Court on 6 June, 2008 that it would restore all subscribers of Tata Sky to a pack exclusive of the three ESPN channels," the PTI report quoted the Tdsat chairman Justice Arun Kumar as saying.
Meanwhile, the tribunal has also ordered Tata Sky to pay the due amount to ESPN till 31 May within 10 days.
ESPN is claiming a due of Rs 700 million from Tata Sky with whom its subscription agreement expired on 15 March, the PTI report said.
The tribunal has not passed any order regarding the payment of Star Cricket for the months of June and July, our correspondent adds. Both the parties have been given time to negotiate the terms and conditions. Failing settlement, this aspect will be decided by the tribunal.
The case will be heard on 23 September.
