ITV

Category: TRAI

  • Reduced ceiling tariffs for Domestic Leased Circuits to boost broadband and e-governance

    Reduced ceiling tariffs for Domestic Leased Circuits to boost broadband and e-governance

    NEW DELHI: In a step aimed at boosting usage of broadband, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has reduced ceiling tariffs for Point-to-Point Domestic Leased Circuits (P2P-DLCs) of E1 (2Mbps), DS3 (45 Mbps) and STM-1 (155 Mbps) capacities and has brought DLCs of STM-4 (622 Mbps) capacity under tariff regulation.

     

    The tariffs for a Domestic Leased Circuit (DLC) of less than E1 capacity have been left under forbearance. The revised tariff regime for DLCs will come into effect from 1 August.

     

    A leased circuit is a two-way link for the exclusive use of a subscriber regardless of the way it is used by the subscriber. A leased circuit having both its end-links within India is termed as DLC. Since DLCs provide the backbone for not only the telecommunication services sector but also a host of knowledge based industries, these are arguably key inputs for the economic growth of the country.

     

    Under the present licensing regime, both national long distance operators (NLDOs) and access service providers (ASPs) can provide DLCs. The DLCs form crucial building blocks for the delivery of various services like e-commerce, e-governance, Internet access for the masses and knowledge based industries like business process outsourcing (BPO), information technology (IT) and information technology enabled eervices (ITES) industries. Enterprises, having their offices spread out in the country, lease-in bandwidth capacities (i.e. DLCs) from the TSPs to carry their data and voice traffic.

     

    Besides, telecom service providers (TSPs) who do not own sufficient transmission infrastructure in any geographical area also lease-in DLCs in order to provide various telecommunication services to their customers.

     

    Since 1999, the tariffs for P2P-DLCs have been regulated in the form of ceiling tariffs on the basis of capacity and distance. The tariffs for DLCs were last revised in the year 2005. The present exercise to review tariffs for DLCs was initiated by TRAI earlier this year in the context of decline in per unit costs of providing DLCs due to (i) increase in demand, (ii) increase in transmission infrastructure and (iii) increase in the bandwidth carrying capacity of transmission media, and signs of lack of competition in some parts of the country.

     

    After following a comprehensive consultation process, the Authority, through the TTO (57th Amendment), 2014, has brought about the following changes in the tariff regime for DLCs:

     

    (a) Tariffs for DLCs of less than E1 capacity have been kept under forbearance.

     

    (b) Ceiling tariffs for DLCs of E1, DS-3 and STM-1 capacities have been reduced.

     

    (c) The DLCs of STM-4 capacity, tariff for which was under forbearance, have been brought under tariff regulation by way of prescription of ceiling tariffs.

     

    With the implementation of the reduced ceiling tariffs, the customers seeking DLCs on the thin routes connecting small cities, remote and hilly areas etc. (i.e. the routes which are not sufficiently competitive) would be benefited.

  • TRAI extends time on consultation paper on VAS by cable and DTH ops

    TRAI extends time on consultation paper on VAS by cable and DTH ops

    NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India today decided to give more time to stakeholders to respond to its consultation paper on regulatory framework for platform services.

     

    Stakeholders can now respond by 29 July with counter-comments by 5 August following request by stakeholders.

     

    Some of the issues the paper issued on 23 June had raised include questions on whether services issued by TV channels should be defined as broadcast channels or value-added services. TRAI is also seeking the stakeholders’ opinion on issues such as the kind of content that platform services should be allowed to transmit. Issues, registration process, security clearances, limits on geographical reach of these channels, compliance with advertising and content code, and conditions of imposing penal provisions in case of violations have also been raised.

     

    All cable TV and DTH operators offer different kinds of programming services that are only shown on their platform but not obtained from broadcasters. These are called platform services. These include movies, music or local news channels offered by the cable operator as well as value-added services such as ‘movie on demand’ and ‘pay per view’ services offered by the DTH players.

     

    The Regulator’s move to regulate platform services comes after the Information and Broadcasting Ministry expressed concern about the transmission of these local channels over a wide geographical area, like any other national or regional channel, without obtaining any permission from the Ministry.

     

    The Ministry note said it believed that a proper regulatory framework is required to govern these channels and value-added services since programming is similar to the programmes transmitted by regular TV channels. 

  • Lok Sabha passes TRAI amendment bill

    Lok Sabha passes TRAI amendment bill

    NEW DELHI: The appointment of former Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) chairman Nripendra Misra as principal secretary to the Prime Minister got legislative sanction in the Lok Sabha when it passed the amendment to the TRAI Bill to remove the clause which bars appointment of former TRAI officers in government posts.

     

    The amendment was passed despite protests by the Congress. The Nationalist Congress Party which is an ally of the Congress had over the weekend said that it would support the amendment as this was not the first case of a retired government servant being re-employed in the government. The Trinamool Congress which had initially said it would oppose the bill decided to support it.

     

    The Bill replaces the ordinance issued on 28 May by the Bharatiya Janata Party which said it was based on merits while the Congress has criticised the government for showing undue haste in bringing a person specific ordinance.

     

    Under Parliamentary procedures, any ordinance has to be replaced by an Act within six weeks of the session that commences after the promulgation of the ordinance.

     

    The government strongly defended the move. Law and Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the government is in “full power to bring the bill” and the effort was to bring TRAI on par with other similar organisations like the Competition Commission.

     

    Misra, a 69-year old 1967-batch Indian Administrative Service officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre who retired in 2009, joined the Prime Minister’s Office the day the ordinance was promulgated. Before the Ordinance was promulgated, the TRAI Act prohibited its chairman and members from taking up any other job in central or state governments after demitting office.

     

    The TRAI Act 1997 says: “The chairperson or any other member ceasing to hold office as such, shall (a) be ineligible for further employment under the Central government or any state government or (b) not accept any commercial employment for a period of two years from the date he ceases to hold such office.”

     

    The amended section now reads: “The chairperson and the whole-time members shall not, for a period of two years from the date on which they cease to hold office as such, except with the previous approval of the Central government, accept “(a) any employment either under the Central government or under any state government; or “(b) any appointment in any company in the business of telecommunication service.”

     

    Although the BJP is in a minority in the Rajya Sabha, the Bill is expected to be passed in the Upper House as the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party apart from NCP and TMC are also supporting it.

     

    The bill will become a law after it is passed by the Rajya Sabha and assented to by the President.

  • Mobile usage shows increase in broadband subscribers between April-May

    Mobile usage shows increase in broadband subscribers between April-May

    NEW DELHI: There was an increase of 5.82 per cent in the number of broadband subscribers in May, as against a mere 1.45 per cent in the number of broadband subscribers between March and April this year.

     

    Data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) shows that the total number of subscribers between April and May went up from 61.74 million to 65.33 million in all segments: wired subscribers, mobile device users (Phones + Dongles), and fixed wireless (Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, Point-to-Point Radio & VSAT).

     

    The largest change of 7.66 per cent was in the mobile segment, whereas wired subscribers showed an increase of 0.25 per cent and fixed wireless segment showed a change of 0.16 per cent.

     

    Top five broadband service providers constitute 84.35 per cent market share of total broadband subscribers at the end of May-14. They are BSNL (17.70 million), Bharti Airtel (13.84 million), Vodafone (8.23 million), Idea (8.19 million) and Reliance Communications Group (7.15 million).

     

    The top five Wired Broadband Service providers are BSNL (9.98 million), Bharti Airtel (1.40 million), MTNL (1.13 million), Beam Telecom (0.39 million) and YOU Broadband (0.39 million).

     

    The top five Wireless Broadband Service providers are Bharti Airtel (12.43 million), Vodafone (8.23 million), Idea (8.19 million), BSNL (7.72 million) and Reliance Communications Group (7.04 Million). 

  • Government takes legislative step to accommodate Nripendra Misra in PMO

    Government takes legislative step to accommodate Nripendra Misra in PMO

    NEW DELHI: The change of government always brings about a shake-up of senior executives in various posts, and this is done even if it necessitates changing laws to accommodate an individual or an individual’s chosen one.

     

    The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is being amended so that former TRAI chairman Nripendra Misra – a 1967-batch IAS officer who is now 69 years of age – can be appointed as principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

     

    A bill in this regard was introduced in the Lok Sabha to replace an ordinance brought out by the government to amend the act which prohibited its chairman and members from taking up any other job in the central or state governments after demitting office.

     

    Some Congress members told indiantelevision.com that this would open the Pandora’s Box as it would be used by every successive government to bring their favourites to key posts. Furthermore, this precedent may lead to amendments in other organisations where similar restrictions have been put in place.  

     

    With the Bharatiya Janata Party issuing a whip to its members to support the bill, it is bound to be passed. However, it may face a tougher task in the Rajya Sabha where the BJP does not have a majority.

     

    The TRAI (Amendment) Bill, 2014 was debated in the House today.

     

    According to the present TRAI Act: “The chairperson or any other member ceasing to hold office as such shall (a) be ineligible for further employment under the central government or any state government or (b) not accept any commercial employment, for a period of two years from the date he ceases to hold such office.”

     

    The ordinance amends this section to read as: “The chairperson and the whole-time members shall not, for a period of two years from the date on which they cease to hold office as such, except with the previous approval of the central government, accept “(a) any employment either under the central government or under any state government; or “(b) any appointment in any company in the business of telecommunication service.”

     

    Misra is an IAS officer from the Uttar Pradesh cadre and his appointment as principal secretary will be co-terminus with the term of the PM or till further orders, according to an order issued by the Ministry of Personnel. The principal secretary to the PM is a key post and acts as main link for coordination among Prime Minister’s Office, cabinet secretariat and secretaries of ministries. 

  • Stakeholders undivided on constitution of commercial subscriber

    Stakeholders undivided on constitution of commercial subscriber

    NEW DELHI: What constitutes commercial or non-commercial subscribers for broadcasting and cable TV services?

     

    This question remained largely unresolved in an open house discussion on tariff issues related to broadcasting and cable television services for commercial subscribers held later today.

     

    Broadcasters by and large were in agreement that anyone other than a domestic subscriber is a commercial subscriber.

     

    There was also division on who is responsible for the subscriber. While broadcasters feel they should know about the subscribers, the multi-service operators and cable operators said they are generally responsible for dealing with the subscriber and the broadcaster should not interfere.

     

    The Open House Discussion was called by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) as it has to submit a proper tariff chart to the Supreme Court by 16 July.

     

    The meet was attended by senior officials of TRAI, the broadcasting fraternity including the Indian Broadcasting Foundation, and other stakeholders, apart from consumer organisations.

     

    The whole controversy rose after an order of the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Arbitration Tribunal of 28 May 2010 was challenged in the Supreme Court, which had on 16 April this year said: “…However, we direct that for a period of three months, the impugned tariff, which is in force as on today, shall continue. Within the said period, TRAI shall look into the matter de novo, as directed in the impugned judgment, and shall re–determine the tariff after hearing the contentions of all the stake holders….”

     

     TRAI had issued a consultation paper in this connection, and also invited comments from stakeholders by June-end. Though several stakeholders have already responded in writing, they were today given a final opportunity to send in their written comments by 8 July.

     

     On behalf of TRAI, the meet was attended by member R K Arnold, Dr Vijayalakshmy K Gupta, principal advisor N Parameswaran and secretary Sudhir Gupta. Others among the approximately 100 stakeholders who attended were IBF’s Sailesh Shah, Sony’s Naresh Chahal, Star’s Pulak Bagchi, a representative of Siticable and Cable Operators Federation of India’s Roop Sharma.

     

    Cable operator and journalist K K Sharma said most cable operators charged the same fee from commercial or non-commercial subscribers.

     

    A representative of the hotel industry said that it did not differentiate between a commercial or non-commercial subscriber. 

     

    Broadcasters representatives insisted that a lot of the investment went into production of content and so advertising was important, but some stakeholders said that encrypted channels should not be allowed to take commercials.

     

    Among the questions that the TRAI had asked in the consultation paper was whether stakeholders agreed with the definitions of ‘commercial establishment, ‘shop’ and ‘commercial subscriber’ given by TRAI; whether there was a need to further categorise commercial subscribers; tariff for commercial subscribers and whether it should be the same as for ordinary subscribers.

  • TRAI to host open house meet on cable and TV tariff issues

    TRAI to host open house meet on cable and TV tariff issues

    NEW DELHI: An open house discussion on tariff issues related to broadcasting and cable television services for commercial subscribers will be held later this week in the capital.

     

    The discussion has been called by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on 4 July.

     

    The meet is expected to be attended by senior officials of TRAI, Information and Broadcasting Ministry and stakeholders, apart from consumer organisations.

  • TRAI audits MSOs in Kolkata

    TRAI audits MSOs in Kolkata

    KOLKATA:  The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) will not allow any laxity in achieving complete digitisation in phase I markets. After issuing several directions to multi system operators (MSOs) operating in the region, the regulator has now decided to visit all the MSOs to inspect whether the DAS regulations have been maintained, technical issues have been resolved and CAS and SMS are in place.

     

    Industry sources reveal that the TRAI officials inspected the office of Kolkata based MSOs, 18 June onwards.  As part of this, the regulator checked if the details in the subscriber management system (SMS) were duly filled. It can be recalled that TRAI had, a few weeks ago, in a directive, asked the MSOs to keep their SMS updated and also start online pre-paid and post-paid billing facility.

     

    Sources indicate that while all the MSOs were prepared for this inspection, billing in the KM area with more than 32 lakh cable TV homes emerged as the biggest issue for some as customers were not paying as per the bill. “During the inspection, TRAI officials noted non-compliance of the provisions of the regulations by the service providers,” inform the sources.

     

    Siticable Kolkata director Suresh Sethia adds, “It is for the first time that TRAI officials came to our office for auditing. They checked our SMS, CAF, SAF and our agreement with the LCOs.”

     

    “The TRAI officials who visited the offices of the various MSOs in the region for two-three days, questioned them on the nitty-gritty’s of facts and information that were missing,” informs the source.

  • TRAI seeks views on migration to IP-based networks

    TRAI seeks views on migration to IP-based networks

    NEW DELHI: IP inter-connection issues including the co-existence of legacy network with IP based networks and requirement of regulatory intervention in IP based interconnection have been raised in a new consultation paper by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.

     

    The paper also wants the opinion of stakeholders on interconnection requirement for application and content service providers; quality of service issues; and various other operational issues- sharing of network elements, emergency numbering etc.

     

    The consultation paper on ‘Migration to IP based Networks’ wants stakeholders to file their views by 21 July and counter-comments by 28 July.  

     

    Traditional telecommunication systems are migrating towards more powerful and viable internet protocol based telecommunication systems.  Migration to IP based network will result in co existence of legacy network along with IP based network. The new IP based network as well as its co-existence with legacy network will give rise to several operational, interconnection and quality of service issues which needs to be addressed for the successful migration to IP based networks.

     

  • Marginal increase in broadband subscribers between March and April 2014

    Marginal increase in broadband subscribers between March and April 2014

    NEW DELHI: There was an increase of a marginal 1.45 per cent in the number of broadband subscribers between March and April this year, according to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) report.

    The total number of subscribers went up from 60.87 million to 61.74 million in all segments: wired subscribers, mobile device users (Phones + Dongles), and fixed wireless (Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, Point-to-Point Radio & VSAT).

    The largest change of 2.5 per cent was seen in the fixed wireless segment, while there was a change of 1.78 per cent in the mobile users and just 0.34 per cent in the wired subscribers.

    The top five broadband service providers constitute 83.65 per cent market share of total broadband subscribers at the end of April. They are BSNL (16.94 million), Bharti (12.84 million), Idea (7.45 million), Vodafone (7.26 million) and Reliance Communications Group (7.15 million).

    The top five Wired Broadband Service providers are BSNL (10.01 million), Bharti (1.38 million), MTNL (1.13 million), You Broadband (0.39 million) and Beam Telecom (0.38 million).

    The top five Wireless Broadband Service providers are Bharti (11.46 million), Idea (7.45 million), Vodafone (7.26 million), Reliance Communications Group (7.04 million) and BSNL (6.93 Million).

    In telecom, private operators hold 89.36 per cent of the wireless subscriber market share where as BSNL and MTNL, the two PSU operators hold only 10.64 per cent market share. 

    Click here to read the full report