ESPN Software today claimed a major victory in its tussle with the Hinduja Group MSO InCableNet when it announced that most cable networks across Mumbai city had signed the new service contracts for ESPN, Star Sports following the annual price revision of January 1, 2002.

Even Zee Group cable arm Siticable has signed onto the new rates - Rs 24 for a month per subscriber - industry sources as well as Siti franchisees have confirmed. This is significant because this means that of the three main MSOs in the city - InCableNet, Hathway and Siti - only InCableNet is out of the loop so to speak. There is one Siti JV that has allied with InCableNet in this dispute and that is the headend in the northeastern suburb of Ghatkopar run by Ravi Singh.

Sricharan Iyengar, vice-president - affiliate sales, said: "Cable networks affiliated to MSOs Hathway, Siticable and Wincable in Mumbai, as well as over 60 independent cable operators in and around Mumbai city, have signed the new service contracts for ESPN and Star Sports. Only the cable networks affiliated to InCableNet are yet to sign the new contracts."

The dispute between ESPN and InCableNet is now awaiting the verdict of the courts with a judgment expected on Friday.