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Category: TRAI

  • TRAI recommends mandatory STB interoperability

    TRAI recommends mandatory STB interoperability

    MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today released recommendations on interoperability of set top boxes (STB) for digital TV broadcasting services. STBs must be made interoperable within each segment of cable TV and DTH respectively.

    TRAI says that currently, STBs are non-interoperable and that deprives the customer of the freedom to change his service provider and creates a hindrance to technological innovation, improvement in service quality, and the overall sector growth.

    “The issue has its own challenges with disparate interest groups among distribution platform owners, CAS vendors, STB manufacturers and other stakeholders. Since the broadcasting sector is content-centric, security of content and robust anti-piracy features are necessary. Affordability of STB remains an important criterion and any suggested solution should not cause undue increase in price of STB. Ensuring proper content security, strong anti-piracy features and flexibility while keeping the STB costs reasonable are the main challenges for achieving STB interoperability,” says the release.

    DTH STBs comply with the license conditions to support common interface (CI) module-based interoperability. However, in practice, even in the DTH segment, the STBs are not readily interoperable.

    TRAI recommends the following:

    * All set top boxes in India must support technical interoperability in principle, i.e., every STB provided to a consumer must be interoperable.

    * Ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) may include a suitable clause/condition in the permission/registration/cable TV network rule mandating all the DPOs (DTH as well as MSOs) to compulsorily facilitate service provisioning through the interoperable STBs either provided by DPOs or procured by the consumers from open market.

    * There are technical and commercial constraints to universal STB. Therefore, interoperability of STBs, with effect from the date as prescribed vide the extant clause/ condition, shall be ensured within the DTH or cable segment. That is, the interoperability shall be applicable within the DTH segment and within the cable segment, respectively.

    * The MIB may notify through licensing conditions or amendment in the Cable Television  Network  Rules   1994  as  per  the  Cable  Television  Network (Regulation)  Act, 1995  or  through  any other appropriate  mechanism mandatory use of DVB CI+ 2.0 standards (with USB CAM) as per the ETSITS 103 605 standards both for DTI I STI3s and STFBs being used by MSOs from a prospective date.

    * A time of six month may be given to both DTH operators and MSOs to adopt DVB CI Plus 2.0 standards (with USB CAM) as per the ETSI TS 103 605 standards from the date of MIB notifications. MIB may also coordinate with BIS so that suitable amendments are brought within this time frame.

    * The authority recommends mandatory provisioning of USB port-based common interface for all  digital television sets in  India. MIB in coordination with TRAI and ministry of electronics and information technology may request BIS to amend the specifications for digital television sets to include provisioning of USB- based common interface port as per DVB CI Plus 2.0 standard based on ETSI TS 103 605 standards. Such specifications must mandate TV manufactures to:

    ·         Provide all digital television sets with minimum one open interface port based on DVB CI Plus 2.0 standards permitting simple connection of USB CAM to allow reception of television signals.

    ·         Provide digital television sets with built-in tuners to enable reception of television content through both satellite and cable platforms.

    Setting Up of Coordination and Implementation Committee

    A coordination committee may be set up by the MIB having members from the ministry of electronics and information technology, TRAI, BIS and representatives of TV manufacturers. The committee may steer implementation of revised STB standards for both the DTH and the cable TV segment.

    Further, the committee may maintain continuous oversight for setting up of the digital television standards by BIS to provide for DVB CI Plus 2.0 port based on ETSI TS 103 605 standards and to have provision for reception of both DTH and cable television signals. The coordination committee may steer the adaptation of the revised STB and digital television standards in a time-bound manner.

  • AIDCF informs TRAI it will provide detailed submission for NTO 2.0 soon

    AIDCF informs TRAI it will provide detailed submission for NTO 2.0 soon

    MUMBAI: The All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) has submitted a letter to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), as per the judgement of the Kerala High Court, stating that it is collating information from member companies to make a detailed submission on the amended new tariff order (NTO 2.0), requesting TRAI not to take any further action.

    AIDCF secretary general Manoj Chhangani said it has informed TRAI that the federation would be sending the detailed representation in the next two weeks.

    The federation filed a writ petition in the Kerala High Court against certain provisions of NTO 2.0 regarding logical channel number, network capacity fee (NCF), multi-TV home connection.  The high court has stayed the clause relating to placing of channels on Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) in NTO  2.0. In the amended order, the authority had mandated that the channel of a language in a genre will be kept together while placing channels on EPG. Such EPG layout is to be mandatorily reported to the TRAI and no change in this can be done without prior approval of the authority.

    “In the above view of the matter, the amended provision in Regulation 18(4) of the Principal Regulation 2017 shall stand stayed. With regard to the other impugned provisions, the petitioners are permitted to file a detailed representation before the TRAI pointing out the objections to the  amendments producing all relevant data which will be duly considered by the TRAI and appropriate remedial steps shall be taken after due consultation with all stakeholders as required by law. Till such time, the provisions  except  the  provision  with  regard  to  freezing of the placement of channels in perpetuity  shall  be permitted  to  be operated,” the judgement said.

    Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Cable Operators Federation (MCOF) requested TRAI yesterday to defer the implementation of the amended tariff order (NTO 2.0) in view of the crisis created by Coronavirus. MCOF president Arvind Prabhu said that they are awaiting response from the regulatory body.

  • Corona : MCOF requests TRAI to defer NTO 2.0 implementation

    Corona : MCOF requests TRAI to defer NTO 2.0 implementation

    The Maharashtra Cable Operators Federation (MCOF) has requested the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to defer the implementation of the amended tariff order (NTO 2.0) in view of the crisis created by Coronavirus. MCOF president Arvind Prabhu said that they are awaiting response from the regulatory body. The Association of Film and Video Editors has also decided to stop the shooting of TV serials, web series, etc. from 19 till 31 March 2020.

    The federation has written in a letter today to the authority that in the normal course of business, LCO business entails many visits to Customer premises for Collections of Post-paid Subscription and on- site Service Support. It added that NTO2.0 will necessitate more frequent interaction with Subscribers firstly to refit them into New Basic Plan options and secondly to enable them to make the right choices of Pay Channels and Packages.

    It has also been said that the field executives will be exposed to many subscribers and vice versa and thus has a higher probability of turning into a Passive Carrier, if not a patient himself, which is ill- advised in the days of Corona Virus spread. At the present scenario, almost everyone is resorting to Social distancing to contain the spread.

    It has also added that the problem is compounded in large cities where the cable executive often travels and aboard Public Transport to reach his office . It mentioned that while the future situation is not predictable , the psychological need for minimal interaction would be hard to overcome.

    “We therefore request you to kindly defer the implementation of NTO 2.0 until things settle. The interim period would also be useful for more interactions with and by the Industry and whole-hearted participation by each Value chain Member,” the letter stated.

    “We also request that the deferment be made applicable to DTH and IPTV Operators too so as to ensure Status quo across the Sector.  This is without prejudice to the rights of stakeholders who have legally challenged the Tariff regulations and the outcomes are subjudice at this stage,” it added.

  • Bombay High Court reserves judgement in new tariff order amendment case

    Bombay High Court reserves judgement in new tariff order amendment case

    MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court has reserved the judgment in the case of the new tariff order amendments (NTO 2.0) as the hearing got over on Thursday. While the ambiguity still continues in the ecosystem, the court is expected to pronounce the judgment in a couple of days.

    According to sources close to the development, Telecom regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) cited the judgment by Justice Nariman of Supreme Court delivered in 2018 and judgment of Delhi HC from 2007 to support that it has full right to regulate broadcasters. It alleged that regulating bouquet formation and discounts is important because broadcasters use the same to push unwanted channels to consumers and are only interested in increasing their advertisement revenue.

    On the other hand, broadcasters argued that bouquets help to make large number of channels cheaper for consumers and also attempted to prove that due to competition from streaming services and telcos, regulation for broadcast TV ought to be reduced. As LCOs filed an independent writ petition asking for stay, they also argued that any attempt by TRAI to bring down NCF will kill their business.

    Meanwhile, Kerela HC hearing a matter from MSOs protesting against an effort to reduce NCF has also reserved its order and will pronounce it soon.

    As none of the high courts pronounced any clear order on interim relief, the amended regime came into play from 1 March. Among the DPOs, Tata Sky, Airtel, Dish TV, Siti Cable and IMCL have implemented NTO 2.0 and reduced their NCF.

  • Amid uncertainty over NTO 2.0, DPOs start complying with new NCF

    Amid uncertainty over NTO 2.0, DPOs start complying with new NCF

    MUMBAI: The amended new tariff order (NTO 2.0) comes into effect from today (1 March) amid ongoing legal battles. Although most of the broadcasters have not published their updated Reference Interconnect Offers (RIOs), many of the distribution platform operators (DPOs) have started complying with the regulations bringing change in network capacity fee (NCF).

    Along with other amendments, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had brought changes in number of channels permitted in Network Capacity Fee (NCF) and applicable NCF for multi TV homes. The authority also reduced the maximum NCF charge to Rs 130 (excluding taxes) for 200 channels. It also added that NCF for more than two hundred SD channels, should not exceed Rs 160.

    “The network capacity fee, per month, for each additional TV connection, beyond the first TV connection in a multi TV home shall, in no case, exceed forty percent of the declared network capacity fee,” it added.

    Tata Sky has also declared its updated NCF. The DTH operator will now charge Rs 153.40 per month for the first 200 SD channels, inclusive of all taxes and Rs 188.80 per month for more than 200 SD channels, inclusive of all taxes. For each secondary connection, it has fixed a NCF of Rs 61.36 per month for the first 200 SD channels, inclusive of all taxes, Rs 75.52 per month for more than 200 SD channels, inclusive of all taxes.

    Airtel Digital TV will charge now the same amount as Tata Sky is charging. However, it is charging Rs 52 ( without taxes) for the primary connection and Additional NCF of Rs 30 (taxes extra) for more than 200 channels.

    “The network capacity fee, per month, payable by a subscriber (each set top box) for 200 SD channels is Rs 130. The NCF, per month, payable by a subscriber (each set top box) for more than 200 SD channels is Rs 160. For determination of channel count 1 HD channel is equivalent to 2 SD channels as per regulations,” Siti Networks stated.

    “The television channels notified by the central government shall be mandatorily available to all the subscribers and shall be in addition to the number of channels available in the network capacity fee. Network capacity fee, per month for each additional TV connection, beyond the first TV connection in a multi TV home shall be forty per cent of the network capacity fee of the Parent STB. The STB with maximum number of channels would be treated as Parent STB,” it added.

    Moreover, IndusInd Media & Communications Ltd (IMCL) has mentioned in its website that pricing of some of its packages will be revised downwards with effect from 1 March. It has also mentioned about the new NCF.

  • After NTO implementation, Indians ditching TV for OTT: survey

    After NTO implementation, Indians ditching TV for OTT: survey

    MUMBAI: People are migrating to online media for content after Telecom Regulatory of India (TRAI) came up with the New Tariff Order (NTO), says a survey. According to a research done by YouGov, around half of Indian DTH subscribers (48 per cent) said the amount of time they spend watching original online content (on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hotstar, etc.) has increased after the implementation of the TRAI tariff order last year. Almost as many (42 per cent) said the same for time spent watching television content digitally.

    The latest findings seem to validate its previous survey done in 2019. As per that survey, when the order was first passed, half of the 1020 respondents (49 per cent) indicated their inclination to spend more time online watching original content as a result of this amendment.

    TRAI is all set to implement the proposed NTO 2.0 starting 1 March 2020. Though the regulatory body argues that the new tariff order has benefitted the end consumer, the reality seems to be different.

    As per the earlier order, users were to choose channels they liked and pay standardised rates for only those they watch. Although this move was meant to enhance the customer’s television viewing experience, people did not seem too happy with its execution.

    The TRAI guidelines seem to have adversely impacted the business of television and 43 per cent said their TV-viewing time has decreased in the last year.

    Furthermore, one in six (16 per cent) claimed to have unsubscribed from a DTH connection or network because of the TRAI rule, and one in five (21 per cent) have unsubscribed and moved entirely online for content.

    Men were more likely than women to disconnect their cable connection (19 per cent vs 13 per cent) while the youngest generation, GenZ, were more likely than the rest to not just unsubscribe but migrate online as well (26 per cent).

    NTO 2.0 is likely to make subscriptions affordable by offering consumers 200 channels with the base slab of Rs 130 as opposed to 100 channels offered earlier. The data shows that the majority of respondents (60 per cent) favour the revised order, 14 per cent disapprove of it and 26 per cent have no view in this regard.

    Support could be due to the fact that people positively perceive this change and more than half (56 per cent) feel it will empower them to choose the channels they like. Although people largely support it, many (36 per cent) feel the new amendment will confuse consumers by giving them too many options to choose from.

    Following the introduction of the TRAI regulatory framework last year, 40 per cent TV-viewers selected channels individually and paid for each, 37 per cent bought a bundle pack and 23 per cent opted for free-to-air channels with few additions.

    The ones who bought a bundle pack were more likely to say they paid more than they used to earlier as compared to the ones who selected channels individually or kept all free channels- who instead were more likely to say they paid lesser than before (29 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively).

    If the new TRAI rule comes into force, most people (38 per cent) are still likely to individually select channels. The proportion of people wanting to buy a bundle pack as well as keep free channels is similar, at 31 per cent each, suggesting that people are equally receptive to each of the offerings.

    YouGov India general manager Deepa Bhatia said: “YouGov’s survey last year rightly predicted the likely impact of the new regulation on consumer viewership. The latest findings validate this prediction. The new order is likely to disrupt the business further and hence it is even more important for advertisers to study the changing consumer needs and behaviour and reallocate their media budgets accordingly.”

  • NTO 2.0 will not have much impact at consumer level: Shaji Mathews

    NTO 2.0 will not have much impact at consumer level: Shaji Mathews

    MUMBAI: Even as stakeholders have moved courts against Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) amendment of the New Tariff Order (NTO), analyst and consultant Shaji Mathews feels that it will not have any significant effect on the existing system. “I don’t think NTO 2.0 will have much effect on the consumer either, because whatever changes and choices consumers were to make, happened during the NTO 1.0 implementation. Once the legal battle on NTO 2.0 is over, the MSOs will implement it at the consumer level with cautiousness. They won’t disrupt the system,” says Mathews, who previously held positions as the VP of Star TV, COO of GTPL and CEO of KCCL.   

    According to him, NTO 1.0 was expected to remove discriminatory agreements which were imposed by broadcasters and create a level-playing field for small MSOs as well. “For that TRAI brought in the MRP regime, which was uniform pricing across the country for the consumers and transparent margins for the distribution platforms, whether they are small or big,” he says. It was expected that the MRP system will push broadcasters to bring consumer-friendly pricing, enabling consumers to avail a multitude of channels of their liking within the rates they were paying.

    “In the process, what happened was that consumers who were expecting to go a-la-carte found themselves at the receiving end because broadcasters basically priced the channels in such a way that they can defeat the whole purpose of the NTO itself,” he points out. 

    Now, by bringing in MRP regime, TRAI is expected to make it easy for consumers to choose channels based on prices.

    It also brought in certain regulations, on bouquet pricing, that the discount in pricing should not be more than 15 per cent. But while implementing, that was removed from the regulation and was kept in abeyance because of the remark of the Madras High Court. However, in the legal battle at Supreme Court, the remark made by the SC prompted the regulator to go approach the Supreme Court for a decision on the 15 per cent. But the apex court threw it back to TRAI and asked it to take steps which were within TRAI’s powers.

    In that scenario, he says that TRAI had to come out with NTO 2.0 wherein some regulations related to a-la-carte rate and bouquet rate had to have interlinked logics. And TRAI stepped in to clear the anomalies which were there in NTO 1.0.

    According to him, the consumers are not bothered about all these things. They want convenience. “I don’t share the views of TRAI and many other stakeholders that the consumer is so bothered about his freedom to choose on an a-la-carte basis. There are 800 channels in this country. In the NTO 1.0 regime, when broadcasters brought out the bouquets, there was no limit on the number of bouquets you could make. There were about 500 packages to choose from, and the consumers were frustrated. There is no point in forcing a-la-carte on consumers; they don’t really bother about whether it is a-la-carte or bouquet. They are bothered only about convenience, getting to watch their favourite channels, and they don’t want to pay too much. All these three were disrupted by the NTO. The consumer was not in a position to choose from too many packages and too many a-la-carte options.”

    Broadcasters, on their part, jacked up the prices, he said. All these went against the consumer requirements, resulting in a lot of them reducing their stickiness to watching TV. According to him, the cable industry lost around 10 to 15 per cent subscribers because of NTO.

    “It is not necessary that these consumers migrated to DTH. They did not go to OTT or YouTube, either. In fact, a lot of consumers did not go anywhere. They may come back to the system over a period of time. They have other priorities in life. They were like, let it be. That was the effect of NTO,” says Mathews. 

    He is certain that there won’t be much of a change in the case of NTO 2.0.

    “What I expect is that broadcasters will come out with revised prices. Having learned lessons from the implementation of the NTO, MSOs will not disrupt the system this time. If broadcasters reduce the prices, I think MSOs will give more channels to the consumers for the same price.  I don’t see the possibility of broadcasters increasing the prices, except in one or two cases. Some of the broadcasters are very aggressive in their stand. As regulator has come up with the Rs 12 pricing cap, some aggressive broadcasters might remove their channels from the bouquet,” he explains.

    Asked about the broadcasters’ complaint that their freedom to price has been curtailed by the NTO, he said: “Their freedom to price is there; only their freedom to bundle has been restricted. Their charges with regard to the loss of control over the pricing won’t stand. Broadcasters are making a fuss on this because it is their strategy of ensuring that the outcomes are advantageous for them.”

    On the question of TRAI’s authority to fix price cap, Mathews answers that the cap is only on the bundled channels, not on any other channels.

    He is also sure that none of the distribution platforms will create any disruptions under the NTO 2.0 regime. According to him, during NTO 1.0 the platforms went a little overboard in implementation. “So this time they will definitely not do anything disruptive. They will proceed cautiously. There will not have the same kind of disruption as we witnessed during NTO 1.0,” he states.

  • TRAI telecom data shows rise in broadband subscribers in Dec 2019

    TRAI telecom data shows rise in broadband subscribers in Dec 2019

    The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released the telecom subscription data as on December 2019. As per the reports received from 341 operators in the month of December, 2019, the number of broadband subscribers increased from 661.27 million at the end of November 2019 to 661.94 million at the end of December 2019 with a monthly growth rate of 0.10%.

    Top five service providers constituted 98.98% market share of the total broadband subscribers at the end of December 2019. These service providers were Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd (370.87 million), Bharti Airtel (140.40 million), Vodafone Idea (118.45 million), BSNL (23.96 million) and Atria Convergence (1.52 million).

    As on 31st December, 2019, the top five Wired Broadband Service providers were BSNL (8.39 million), Bharti Airtel (2.42 million), Atria Convergence Technologies (1.52 million), Hathway Cable & Datacom (0.90 million) and Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd (0.86 million).

    As on 31 December 2019, the top five Wireless Broadband Service providers were Reliance Jio Infocom Ltd (370.02 million), Bharti Airtel (137.98 million), Vodafone Idea (118.43 million), BSNL (15.56 million) and MTNL (0.20 million).

    There is, however, a decline in the number of telephone subscribers. It has declined from 1,175.88 million at the end of Nov-19 to 1,172.44 million at the end of Dec-19, thereby showing a monthly decline rate of 0.29%.

    Urban telephone subscription declined from 665.99 million at the end of Nov-19 to 662.45 million at the end of Dec-19, and the rural subscription increased from 509.89 million to 509.99 million during the same period.

    Wireline subscribers declined from 21.29 million at the end of Nov-19 to 21.00 million at the end of Dec-19. Net decline in the wireline subscriber base was 0.29 million with a monthly decline rate of 1.34%. The share of urban and rural subscribers in total wireline subscribers were 87.95% and 12.05% respectively at the end of Dec-19.

    BSNL and MTNL, the two PSU access service providers, held 60.47% of the wireline market share as on 31 December, 2019. The Overall Wireline Tele-density declined from 1.61 at the end of Nov-19 to 1.59 at the end of Dec-19. Urban and Rural Wireline Tele-density were 4.36 and 0.28 respectively during the same period.

  • TRAI directs broadcasters, DPOs to publish updated NTO 2.0 prices

    TRAI directs broadcasters, DPOs to publish updated NTO 2.0 prices

    MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has asked broadcasters and distribution platform operators (DPOs) to take necessary steps to ensure a smooth rollout of the amended new tariff order from 1 March. Both broadcasters and distribution platform operators (DPOs)  have also been directed to publish required information on their website to provide consumers sufficient time to exercise their choice of channels and bouquets before the implementation.

    After TRAI came out with the amendments to the new price regime, stakeholders across the industry raised voice against that. There are several petitions pending in the high courts challenging the order. However, the latest directive from TRAI reaffirms that it is firm on rolling out the order.

    The authority also stated that many broadcasters have neither reported nor published the requisite information regarding the changes. It also added that it has been observed from the information available on the websites of many broadcasters that most of the existing bouquets of pay channels are not in compliance with the provisions of the amendments.

    TRAI also pointed out that quite a few DPOs have also not published the required information on their website nor composition of new bouquets compliant to the changes.

    “Further, to ensure that consumers at large are kept fully appraised, all concerned are required to ensure that information about all such existing bouquets which do not conform to the provisions of Tariff Order 2020 and which shall not be available for the consumers on or after 1st March 2020 may be suitably indicated on their website,” TRAI stated.

  • TRAI extends deadline for comments on CP ‘Transparency in Publishing of Tariff Offers’

    TRAI extends deadline for comments on CP ‘Transparency in Publishing of Tariff Offers’

    MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has further extended the deadline for receiving comments on Consultation Paper on "Transparency in Publishing of Tariff Offers" till 7 February and counter comments till 21 February.

    The authority had issued a Consultation Paper (CP) on "Transparency in Publishing of Tariff Offers" on 27 November 2019. The last date for receiving written comments from the stakeholders was fixed at 26 December 2019 and thereafter counter comments by 9 January 2020.

    Pursuant to the request of stakeholders, TRAI extended the last date for submission of written comments to 23 January 2020 and last date for submission of counter comments to 6 February 2020.

    Now the stakeholders have sought a further extension of time for sending their comments on the Consultation Paper on "Transparency in Publishing of Tariff Offers". The authority has decided to further extend the last date for submission of written comments to 7 February 2020 and for counter comments to 21 February 2020.

    In November, TRAI had sought public views on enhancing transparency in disclosure of phone services rates and mooted an idea of introducing tariff calculator to help customers find the best plans to suit their usage. The move came after TRAI received a significant number of complaints from individual consumers on a lack of transparency in disclosure of tariff information.