Allow customers to pick and choose channels: TRAI

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued its tariff order for 2010, for digital addressable systems such as DTH and IPTV and insisted that customers must be given free choice of pay channels. DTH and IPTV providers will have to allow consumers to choose and pay for only those channels they want to watch, besides a minimum monthly fee of Rs150. The regulator restrained itself from fixing tariffs for individual channels, although it reduced the maximum amount broadcasters can charge DTH, IPTV and digital cable providers for channels. The change must be made by September and the final deadline will be January 2011 if operators needed extra time for technical upgrade.



Service providers have been told to publish channel rates every three months, with a 30-day notice period for any changes. If they want to fix a monthly minimum subscription, the bill cannot exceed Rs150. TRAI also told broadcasters they can charge DTH operators only 35% of the fee they charge regular cable TV operators for their channels. Broadcasters have to make available TV channels to distributors of addressable system on a la carte as well as bouquets basis at a maximum of 35% of the corresponding rates for non-addressable cable TV services as per the tariff order. The earlier cap was 50%.

TRAI also told the Supreme Court that it plans to cap regular cable TV charges at Rs250 a month. The regulator also submitted its recommendations on the Government's uplinking-downlinking policy, now under review. It feels there should be no cap on the number of satellite-based TV channels allowed to uplink or downlink content in India.