MUMBAI: Even as the broadcasters scramble to respond to the latest missive from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), operators from the country's most cable connected state - Gujarat - have come out in support of it.

Harish Joshi, secretary of the Gujarat Cable Operators Association (GCOA), a body that claims to have wide support in the western Indian state, has dashed off a letter to Trai welcoming the notification to register a contract between broadcasters and MSOs.

The letter, addressed to Trai secretary Dr Harsha Vardhana Singh, says, "This step (the notification) shall further give you more clarity on broadcasting and Cable Industry."

Joshi claims that after the notifications were issued, one fact that came to light was that the majority of GCOA members did not have a copy of the contract. The letter further alleges that while "the contract papers were signed by us (cable ops), but the content of the papers like number of subscribers, rates applicable, duration of contract etc. were blank, and the same is with the broadcasters. No photocopy is given to any of the MSOs."

The letter states that MSOs have been advised by the GCOA to officially write to the broadcasters and their dealers demanding that they provide a photocopies of the contracts so they can be registered with Trai.

The letter further urges Trai to put "pressure on broadcasters to submit the contract paper to you and also advise them to give a copy of the same to MSOs for their record."