Extremely smart and wise strategy by distribution/content team of viacom18, it will surely be of some help to expand the reach of the channels as operators not having MTV HD will get request for it from customers.
Strangely Vh1 HD not being employed as part of this strategy, even more weird is that there is no promotion of FIFA World Cup 2022 on social media accounts of Vh1 India.
I still remember back in 2002 Ten Sports launched as a new channel and 90% of the operators were not carrying this channel neither showing interest to add it , then as Ten Sports grabbed 2002 FIFA World Cup rights and tournament start drew year all operators quickly launched the channel...addition of WWE further boosted the demand and popularity of this channel.
I strongly feel Airtel Digital TV wants to add pending Viacom18 channels but some genuine reasons r causing delay. Once airtel finds solution to them, addition will happen. This is the same u r seeing that airtel is unable to move History TV18 HD to LCN 429 despite SD feed been shifted from LCN 432 to 428 few years back. Just waiting for airtel to renew RIO agreements with various broadcasters, post which realignment of channels likely to start and 4 digit LCN would b implemented alongside....after all this pending channels stuck for long will b added.
Incase Airtel Digital TV decides to make available MTV HD on an immediate basis then a makeshift agreement will b worked out where certain changes in LCN of few Viacom18 HD channels will b done and MTV HD will b added at LCN 481 but this seems less likely... If at all they add MTV HD in next few days then sam may get added at some latter LCN like 491/493/498/504