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Category: TRAI

  • TRAI aids consumers assess data quality, recommends year-long packs

    MUMBAI: TRAI has launched five apps including — MyCall, MySpeed and Do Not Disturb (DND 2.0) — to help subscribers assess call and data quality, and has sent an advisory to telcos to offer one-year data packs — only. Besides, TRAI has also upgraded its ‘Do Not Disturb’ app with additional new features like an intelligent spam detection engine and updates about action taken on complaints within the app.

    “The application MyCall will help mobile phone users rate their experience about voice call quality in real-time and help TRAI gather customer experience data along with network data,” TRAI said in a statement.

    The regulator and government have refused to lower their guard on the subject of call drops, and have kept a close watch on call quality through initiatives such as automated call system and drive tests.

    TRAI has also launched an update to its MySpeed app, which allows customers to measure 3G/4G data speeds and send the results to the regulator.

    The regulator said it has sent an advisory to all telecom operators asking them to launch at least one pack (special tariff voucher or STV) of data services with a validity of 365 days. The advisory comes after operators’ requested TRAI last year for longer validity for STVs with only data benefits, for certain category of consumers who prefer lower denomination data packs with longer validity.

  • TRAI keeping watch over Arasu, TN MSO extends digital hardware bids deadline

    NEW DELHI: The government and the regulator are keeping a close watch on Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation to see whether it sticks to the deadline of three months to digitise its networks even as the state government-controlled MSO extended the date for submission of bids for acquiring digital headend hardware to 9 June 2017.

    A source at the regulator TRAI told indiantelevision.com that it was “watching” to see how the situation developed in Tamil Nadu, adding that it would step in if the situation demanded it.

    Arasu was given a provisional digital addressable system MSO license earlier this year subject to the condition that it digitises its network within three months so it could phase out analogue TV signals and be at par with the rest of the country. The official sunset date of analogue services in India was 31 December 2016, which was extended to end-March 2017 by the government keeping in view some hiccups in seeding digital boxes in rural and semi-urban areas.

    According to an official announcement by Arasu, which is running a scroll on its website, the last date for a global tender for supply of standard definition (SD), high definition (HD), triple play STBs, etc has been extended to 9 June 2017 from 29 May 2017. Arasu plans to acquire 70 million digital addressable STBs of which 10 million will be HD boxes.

    Though the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has at least three times in the last decade expressed a view that political parties, politicians and state governments, amongst a host of other category of people, should not be allowed to get into the business of broadcasting or distribution of TV services, successive governments, including the present one, have dithered to take a final call on the regulator’s suggestions.

    While handing out provisional license to Arasu earlier this year, the union minister M Venkaiah Naidu had said the conditional green signal was given with an aim to cover the entire country under DAS and specifically done in “public interest”.

  • TRAI to hold discussions on net neutrality, spectrum in Mumbai

    NEW DELHI: Given the complicated issues around net neutrality, an open house discussion is to be held in Mumbai on 26 May, 2017on Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s consultation paper on the issue NN and free data schemes. Earlier, a similar OHD was held in Hyderabad on 24 October 2016.

    TRAI had issued the paper in May last year. Another OHD will be held at the same venue on the same day on a consultation paper on spectrum, roaming and QoS related requirements in machine-to-machine communications.

    Stretching the discussion on net neutrality, TRAI had wanted to know whether there is a need to have telecom service provider (TSP)-agnostic platform to provide free data or suitable reimbursement to users without violating the principles of differential pricing for data laid down in TRAI regulations.

    It also wants to know if free data or suitable reimbursement to users should be limited to mobile data users only or could it be extended through technical means to subscribers of fixed line broadband or leased lines.

    The paper says that in the recent past, some data services plans of the TSPs came to the notice of TRAI, which amounted to discriminatory tariff through offering zero or discounted tariffs to certain contents of certain websites/applications/platforms. The objective of offering such plans was claimed to be the desire of various service providers/content providers or platform providers to enable people of this country, especially the poor, to access certain content on the internet free of charge.

    While TRAI is still to take a stand on the issue of net neutrality as a whole, American communications regulator FCC, under a new chairman, is dismantling some of the NN regulations put in force by his predecessor under the Obama regime that has ruffled the feathers of a section of the telecoms and broadcast industry in the US.

    Details of the TRAI open house in Mumbai and the related documents could be located at www.trai.gov.in.

  • TRAI may invite ideas to boost b’cast & tele-products manufacturing

    MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) will consider studying the issue of testing and quality of mobile phones and set-top boxes as part of a wider consultation to boost manufacturing of telecom and broadcasting products. The issue is important because telecom operators had flayed mobile handset quality for call drops and approached the Government saying the role of devices in issue of service quality had not been adequately considered.

    TRAI’s discussion paper pertaining to incentivising manufacturers of broadcasting and telecom equipment is in the works, sources told PTI. It may be released in the next month. Amongst other aspects, the paper may explore possible sops for operators who use indigenous products in their networks.

    Meanwhile, on the occasion of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, COAI conducted a high-level roundtable to highlight and discuss the role of technology in the advancement of 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The event focused on the success story of the Indian telecom revolution.

    Experts called for a closer collaboration between five ministries and Government departments of DoT, MeitY, MoC, MHRD, I&B and Skill Development. COAI emphasised the need for digital literacy and capacity building and creation of local language content for actualising the real potential of Digital India.

    Over Rs 9.2 lakh crore has been invested by Telecom Service Providers in building world class telecom Infrastructure. About 3.51 lakh BTSs were added, and subscribers have crossed the mark of one billion. Total internet subscribers in India are 261.31 million as per TRAI data.

    ACT Fibernet, a leading non-ISP broadband operator in India, issued a statement: ACT Fibernet actively employs analytics across its operations to build a better understanding of customer and business processes..

  • Tata Sky-Airtel case: HC asks TRAI to file reply before 25 July

    NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today issued notice to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on two different petitions by direct-to-home platforms TataSky and Airtel Digital challenging the Tariff and the Reference Interconnect Order regulations.

    A bench headed by Chief Justice Gita Mittal listed the matter for 25 July 2017 and directed the respondents to file their affidavits and the petitioners to file counter-affidavits if any before that date.

    Although the cases were listed separately, the bench decided to hear the matters together since similar grounds had been raised.

    The Court also issued notice on an application by the two platforms seeking a stay of the tariff order. (In another matter pending before the Madras High Court, the Supreme Court on 8 May stayed the operation of the regulations till completion of the case in the High Court.)  

    The petitions seeks an order not only for setting aside these regulations, but also some sub-sections of Section 11 of the TRAI Act 1997 as being violative of the Constitution.

    The TataSky petition has been on behalf of the platform and Mr S Ganesan, Chief Financial Officer. The respondents are both TRAI and Union of India.

    Indiantelevision.com had earlier reported that the primary problem arises from the fact that all stakeholders will have to abide by the rates fixed by the broadcaster according to the new tariff order.

    The DTH players are agitated not only with the fact that they pay over 85% of the service tax and entertainment tax in the digitised universe, but the fact that their liberty to make their own bouquets may be taken away with the broadcasters having the say in fixing rates for individual channels.

    Tata Sky CEO Harit Nagpal had earlier confirmed to indiantelevision.com that the platform was moving the Delhi High Court against TRAI on the tariff order. As it is one of the largest among the six private DTH operators, the approximately Rs 50-billion Tata Sky may be joined by other players.

    TRAI had first come out with a draft tariff order in October 2016 but was embroiled in the case in Madras High Court which had initially directed status quo. Later, TRAI had issued the orders on 3 March after getting the green signal from the apex court even as the broadcasters’ case was pending in the High Court.

    Apart from the Tariff order which had originally been issued on 10 October last year, the regulator also issued the DAS Interconnect Regulations which had been issued on 14 October last year, and the Standards of Quality of Service and Consumer Protection (Digital Addressable Systems) Regulations which had been issued on 10 October last year.

    Meanwhile in another matter pending before the Madras High Court where Star India and Vijay TV have challenged the regulations under the Copyright Act on the ground that content does not come in the ambit of TRAI, the Supreme Court on 8 May stayed the operation of the regulations but asked the High Court to dispose of the case within four weeks.

    Also read:

    SC stays new TRAI tariff, asks Madras HC to complete hearing in four weeks

    Tata Sky & Airtel DTH pleas against TRAI tariff in Delhi HC on Friday

  • Ease of doing b’cast biz date extended to 19 May

    NEW DELHI: With the fast-changing regulatory framework for the media and entertainment sector, which in India is one of the fastest growing sectors, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India had last month embarked on a major exercise to find out easier ways of doing business and cause least harassment to entrepreneurs.

    To give stakeholders more time to respond to its pre-consultation paper on the ease of doing business in broadcasting which was issued on 17 April, the last date for responses has now been extended from 8 May to 19 May.

    The Authority has on its own decided to go for a pre-consultation with the stakeholders on ease of doing business in the broadcasting sector, taking a cue from PM Modi-led government’s efforts to ease doing businesses in India. It hopes to review various policy issues related to the broadcasting sector with a view to create a conducive and business friendly environment in the sector and identify procedural bottlenecks that affect ease of doing business in the broadcasting sector and recommend measures for simplifying the rules, regulations and bring more transparency and clarity in policies/ framework of the broadcasting sector.

    The aim is also to remove entry barriers by laying down well defined and transparent procedures and processes thereby creating level playing field and competition in the sector and to facilitate innovation and technology adoption for providing better quality of services to the consumers to steer further growth of the sector by attracting investment through investor friendly policies
    Subjects to be covered in the pre-consultation before a final consultation paper is issued are related to processes and procedures for obtaining permission/license/registration for the following broadcasting services and subsequent compliance connected with these permissions. The fields include:

    (a) Uplinking of TV channels
    (b) Downlinking of TV channels
    (c) Teleport services
    (d) Direct-to-home services
    (e) Private FM services
    (f) Headend-in-the sky services
    (g) Local Cable Operators
    (h) Multi System Operators
    (i) Community Radio Stations

  • Tata Sky & Airtel DTH pleas against TRAI tariff in Delhi HC on Friday

    NEW DELHI: The petition by direct-to-home platform Tata Sky challenging the Tariff and the Reference Interconnect Order regulations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is slated for hearing in the Delhi High Court tomorrow (Friday).

    The petition seeks an order not only for setting aside these regulations, but also categorising some sub-sections of Section 11 of the TRAI Act 1997 as being violative of the Indian Constitution. Another petition by Airtel Digital, which has been filed seeking similar similar reliefs, may also be heard along with the Tata Sky petition. 

    The Tata Sky petition has been filed on behalf of the d2H platform and the Tata Sky CFO S Ganesan. The respondents are both, TRAI and the Union of India.

    Indiantelevision.com had earlier reported that the primary problem with the new tariff order arises from the fact that all stakeholders will have to abide by the rates fixed by the broadcaster.

    The DTH players are agitated not only with the fact that they pay over 85% of the service tax and entertainment tax in the digitised universe, but the fact that their liberty to make their own bouquets may be taken away with the broadcasters having the say in fixing rates for individual channels.

    Tata Sky CEO Harit Nagpal had earlier confirmed to indiantelevision.com that it was moving the Delhi High Court against TRAI on the tariff order. As it is one of the largest among the six private DTH operators, the approximately Rs 50-billion Tata Sky may be joined by other players.

    Tata Sky had designed packages as per genre so as to make it smoother for the customer but may now have to change these bouquets/bundles as the new order directs the DTH operators to offer channels on an à la carte basis and then link them to the bouquet price.

    There are several conditions in the new order as to how the channels could be priced in a bunch, and individually, Nagpal said. If one aspires that consumers are going to use an app and order a channel that may not take place in the Rs 58000-crore television industry.

    TRAI had first come out with a draft tariff order in October 2016 but was embroiled in the case in Madras High Court which had initially directed status quo. Later, TRAI had issued the orders on 3 March after getting the green signal from the apex court even as the broadcasters’ case was pending in the High Court.

    Apart from the Tariff order which had originally been issued on 10 October last year, the regulator also issued the DAS Interconnect Regulations which had been issued on 14 October last year, and the Standards of Quality of Service and Consumer Protection (Digital Addressable Systems) Regulations which had been issued on 10 October last year.

    Meanwhile in another matter pending before the Madras High Court where Star India and Vijay TV have challenged the regulations under the Copyright Act on the ground that content does not fall under TRAI jurisdiction, the Supreme Court on 8 May stayed the operation of the regulations but asked the High Court to dispose of the case within four weeks.

    Also read:

    After Star, Tata Sky all set to challenge TRAI tariff: Harit Nagpal

    SC stays new TRAI tariff, asks Madras HC to complete hearing in four weeks

  • TRAI to probe ‘opaque’ offers to departing customers

    MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India will study complaints about operators doling out customised retention offers to influence subscribers who plan to shift to a rival network. Jio had alleged that incumbent operators are lining up customised offers for subscribers wanting to shift.

    While it may be standard for operators to play up offerings and the strength of their networks to the departing customers, telcos cannot offer plans that they do not file with TRAI.

    TRAI chairman R S Sharma asserted that all offerings by operators need to be non-discriminatory, transparent, and filed with the regulator but refused to be drawn into the specifics, PTI reported.

    Because the tariff has to satisfy the criteria of being non-discriminatory and transparent, Sharma said, these principles would have to be followed.

    In a letter to TRAI, Jio had termed such methods as being “unfair and deceptive”, and claimed that the offers were being presented to customers “surreptitiously” on a one-to-one basis and not available to the public.

    Those companies were not openly publicising such offers on their website as is stipulated, Jio charged, demanding that “strongest action” against the three operators – Vodafone, Airtel, and Idea Cellular — for what it called a gross violation of TRAI norms. However, Airtel and Vodafone had refuted Jio’s allegations.

    As per the norms, while tariffs are under forbearance, every plan has to be filed with the TRAI within seven working days from its launch. If the regulator will call operators for a meeting to resolve the issue, Sharma said the matter was still in a “preliminary” stage.

  • Star India appeal in SC challenging TRAI’s HC verdict slated for Monday

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court is expected to hear on 8 May the appeal by Star India and Vijay TV challenging the order of the Madras High Court refusing to stay the DAS tariff order of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.

    A bench headed by Chief Justice J S Kehar had earlier this week said the matter would come up for hearing in due course.  

    Meanwhile, TRAI TV reference interconnect offer (RIO) and Quality of service order (QoS) came into effect from 2 May following the order of the High Court.

    High Court Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar had directed the main petition by Star India and Vijay TV to be heard on 12 June. However, the court had said Section 3 of the Tariff order and all other consequences of such implementation/enforcement would be subject to the outcome of the main petition.

    The broadcasters had challenged the order of TRAI on the grounds that it had no jurisdiction over content, and that actually came under Copyright Act, which is not administered by TRAI.

    Apart from the Tariff order which had originally been issued on 10 October last year, the regulator also issued the DAS Interconnect Regulations which had been issued on 14 October last year, and the Standards of Quality of Service and Consumer Protection (Digital Addressable Systems) Regulations which had been issued on 10 October last year.

    Also Read:

    Hearing of Star – TRAI case begins before MHC chief justice

    Decks cleared for TRAI tariff order implementation as HC declines stay (updated)

  • No advancing of Star India hearing in TRAI tariff case: SC

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has declined early hearing of an appeal by Star India and Vijay TV against the order of the Madras High Court refusing to stay the DAS tariff order of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. A bench headed by Chief Justice J S Kehar said the matter would come up for hearing in due course.   

    The matter was raised through a mention by counsel for Star TV, as the TRAI TV reference interconnect offer (RIO) and Quality of service order (QoS) are to come into effect from tomorrow following the order of the High Court.

    High Court Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar had directed the main petition by Star India and Vijay TV to be heard on 12 June. However, the court had said Section 3 of the Tariff order and all other consequences of such implementation/enforcement would be subject to the outcome of the main petition.

    The broadcasters had challenged the order of TRAI on the grounds that it had no jurisdiction over content, and that actually came under Copyright Act, which is not administered by TRAI.

    The Court said the petitioners had not made out a strong and prima facie case for interim stay. It also said that it had noted that the situation prevailing on 3 March 2017 when the order was issued and that prevailing today ‘has not changed so drastically’ as to warrant an interim stay. The Court said that it had also kept in view the larger public plea made by the Government counsel.

    Earlier, TRAI had issued the orders on 3 March after getting the green signal from the apex court even as the broadcasters case was pending in the High Court.

    Apart from the Tariff order which had originally been issued on 10 October last year, the regulator also issued the DAS Interconnect Regulations which had been issued on 14 October last year, and the Standards of Quality of Service and Consumer Protection (Digital Addressable Systems) Regulations which had been issued on 10 October last year.

    The orders can be seen at:
    http://trai.gov.in/sites/default/files/Tariff_Order_English_3%20March_20…
    http://www.trai.gov.in/sites/default/files/QOS_Regulation_03_03_2017.pdf
    http://www.trai.gov.in/sites/default/files/Interconnection_Regulation_03…

    Also Read:

    Hearing of Star – TRAI case begins before MHC chief justice

    Decks cleared for TRAI tariff order implementation as HC declines stay (updated)