DTH operator Independent TV has abruptly shut its services and scores of distributors and customers in Uttar Pradesh have been left in the lurch. A message on its website reads: “Dear customers, our services are suspended on account of satellite signal disconnection. Same are expected to resume only after June 22nd, 2019. Inconvenience is regretted.”
As reported, the TDSAT had granted one final opportunity to Independent TV to clear dues or face disconnection of transponder service from Antrix Corporation. The tribunal had directed the DTH operator to either pay Rs. 9 crore to Antrix by 12th June or furnish a further bank guarantee of Rs. 15 crore by that date. In case of default, the tribunal had granted Antrix the liberty to effect the impugned disconnection notice without waiting for any further directions of this tribunal. It was also granted the liberty to encash the Bank Guarantee in the event of default by the DTH operator. The matter has been posted on the date already fixed 2nd July.
About Independent TV: Independent TV, formerly Reliance Big TV, is an Indian direct to home (DTH) television operator. It was a subsidiary of Reliance Communications. Launched as Reliance Big TV in August 2008. the service acquired 1 million subscribers within 90 days of launch since no other operators were in the market. The service was later renamed to Reliance Digital TV. The operator was acquired by Pantel Technologies & Veecon Media in January 2018. In March 2018, the company launched a prebooking DTH offer which was a big fraud as company collected huge amount of money in the name of booking but connections were never installed. After launching the offer the Pantel Technologies & Veecon Media group decided to rebrand the company as Independent TV.
