(20 June 2007 8:48 pm)

NEW DELHI: Though the government wants the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to submit recommendations on the Headend-In-The-Sky (HITS) issue within two months, the authority is grappling with several problems including the possibility of legal cases between broadcasters and multi-system operators (MSOs).

The issue of transponder is also not clear, with the Trai still not being informed on whether HITS should be in the C or Ku band. The ministry wants to be cautious on a regulation or policy that would in effect radicalise the cable TV industry.

"We could have a levy of court cases and amendments to deal with anomalies that are bound to crop up if we set the rules in haste," a senior ministry official told Indiantelevision.com.

Officials also say that if HITs is going to be triggered off, what would be the meaning of the 55-city rollout of Cas (conditional access system) that has been just announced to be implemented this year?

Senior industry sources say the government is not sure of what all it wants to unveil and there is a cross-connection between one and the other of the government's programmes in the TV industry.