(20 September 2006 5:35 pm)

MUMBAI: The battle for direct-to-home (DTH) supremacy is set to intensify with Zee-Turner channels hopping on to Tata Sky.

The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has directed Zee Turner Ltd, distributors of Zee and other channels, to provide its signals to Tata Sky within 48 hours.

"Zee Turrner has given an undertaking to the TDSAT to provide all the 32 channels at an interim pricing of Rs 75. This will help in our pursuit to offer to consumers a full complement of content," Tata Sky MD & CEO Vikram Kaushik tells Indiantelevision.com. Tata Sky is already offering 75 channels at an introductory price offer of Rs 200.

Zee Turner claims it has got what it wanted. "We wanted our entire bundle of channels to be taken and at that price. This falls in line with the latest TDSAT directive," says Zee Turner CEO Arun Poddar.

The final hearing will be on 18 October where the issues of pricing, capacity and other related issues will be decided, says Kaushik.

It may be recalled that Zee Turner was willing to provide all its channels at a price of Rs 75 while Tata Sky wanted to select the channels it wants at half the price of cable TV rates.

Contending the case on behalf of Tata Sky, senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi requested the tribunal to give an urgent hearing. "Now festive season of Diwali is coming -- in which lots of entertainment programmes are telecast and our consumer base would suffer because of non-availability of these feeds," he argued. Singhvi also pointed out that the delay in the issue would ultimately hamper the commercial interest of the venture since the festive season of Diwali is approaching.

"Our subscribers are suffering due to non-availability of Zee-Turner's programme -- we are getting a loss to the tune of Rs 20 million daily and even our staff are underutilised," contended Singhvi.

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