MUMBAI: Just two days ahead of the deadline for consumer migration to new channel packages under Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) tariff order, Calcutta High Court has stayed the switchover till 18 February. 

The court has also asked the TRAI to submit a report on the matter on 13 February, which is when the next hearing will take place. The court’s directive was a result of 80 cable operators filing a petition against the TRAI mandate.

The petitioners’ lawyer Debabrata Saha Roy argued that the revenue-sharing model under the new regime will significantly reduce the cable operators’ share to just nine per cent. With 80% will go into the broadcasters’ kitty, MSOs stand to get just 11 per cent, thus making it an unsustainable business proposition for operators.

Earlier the regulator had offered an extension till 31 January to the distribution platform operators (DPOs) for implementation.