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  • TRAI issues consultation paper on technical specs for CAS, SMS compliance

    TRAI issues consultation paper on technical specs for CAS, SMS compliance

    MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released a consultation paper seeking comments on standardising CAS and SMS systems for broadcast and cable TV.  

    Pursuant to the full digitisation of the cable sector in India, which concluded by 31 June 2017, the focus should now be on CAS and SMS as TRAI says they “form the core systems to deliver the broadcasting services to consumers as per their individual choices, by enabling encryption to ensure content security.”

    The technical requirements for CAS and SMS are generic and allow for different type of CAS and SMS systems to exist in the ecosystem. “While some of the CASs deployed are using advance embedded security, others are based on non-standard solutions making it vulnerable to hacking, thereby putting content security at risk,” says the TRAI notification.

    Additionally, most CAS companies don’t have their own SMS, middleware and user interface, increasing the dependency on third-party solutions. DPOs also lack the technical expertise to have an in-house mechanism.

    “The authority received complaints from various broadcasters on a regular basis regarding the piracy and distribution of pirated signals. As per analysis much of such piracy occurs due to deployment of CAS/ SMS that do not fully comply with security protocols as per extant standards. Stakeholders raised this issue as one of the major concerns during the annual chief executive officers' interaction with the authority held on 14 January 2020,” says TRAI.

    With these issues in mind, TRAI felt that “these concerns reflect a need for compliance with minimum technical specifications before a CAS/SMS systems is installed in the network. With this background, TRAI brings out this consultation paper on suo-moto basis. The paper endeavours to deliberate upon the issues arising out of deployment of sub-standard CAS and SMS systems, underlying ill-effects and possible remedial measures.”

    Comments to the consultation paper are requested by 20 May 2020 and counter-comments by 3 June 2020.

  • 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.

  • DTH service providers say STB interoperability unlikely to succeed in current conditions

    DTH service providers say STB interoperability unlikely to succeed in current conditions

    MUMBAI: Tata Sky, Dish TV and Hathway – Indian direct to home (DTH) service providers have provided their inputs to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)’s consultation paper on the issue related to interoperability of set-top-boxes (STB).

    According to Tata Sky’s response, having interoperable STBs will not be desirable due to commercial, technical, security and service-related reasons. The response stated that interoperability will only be viable if the new design of STB will have a reasonable cost with highest standards of quality, but not have any detrimental impact on the STB’s security and privacy features. The current STB ecosystem allows operators to provide secure solutions like HDCP, water-marking, fingerprint, among others at an optimum cost. The serious concern is, will third party manufacturers, developers be able to maintain the same security standards in the interoperable STB?

    As different operators keep entering the market at different points of time, operators use different compressions standards like MPEG2, MPEG4, HEVC, among others. The presence of multiple compression standards comes in the way of interoperability. As the STB model, functionality, processor speed, memory, software configuration, encryption and transmission standards are different with different operators, this will lead to serious compatibility issues if interoperability is attempted.

    The interoperable STB would soon get outdated and obsolete as a requirement would arise for operators to upgrade their STBs. The operator would get stifled by the slow pace of upgrade.

    The BIS standardisation process of various STB features would require significant cost and long gestation period. In the current scenario of the sector, with aggressive and unregulated competition coming in from OTT and mobile operators, STB interoperability is not feasible.

    According to Dish TV’s response, TRAI envisaged that it is not desirable to roll out interoperable STBs for a number of reasons, apart from the technical factors elaborated by Dish TV.  The response states that the dynamics of the STB industry are very rapid and will enable new product cycles at relatively low cost and advanced features which will get impeded, if an elaborated mechanism of interoperability including that of digital video broadcast (DVB)-C and DVB-T will be gone through. It will increase the cost at the same time disproportionately.

    TRAI should not ignore the devices including the STBs the come with broadband and OTT delivery, which are the rapidly gaining segments, having their own technologies of DRM and content protection, based on two way interconnectivity rather than one way DSA and key transfer algorithms.

    The structure of STBs vary in the cable and DTH segments, which does not warrant any interoperability to be mandated between them. DTH STBs have multiple functions that become redundant in cable-based STBs and vice versa.

    Hathway believes that there should be a provision for interoperability of STBs because with the rapid technological advancement, it will provide lot of options to subscribers. The concept is in a preliminary stage and there are not any known examples of STB interoperability available in any other country. The concept could proceed in India methodically but also need to think about various aspects and interests of all the stakeholders involved in the broadcast service value chain.

    At present, the STB architecture is designed in a way which meets the requirements of conditional access system (CAS). STB needs to be tightly bound with the CAS system for content security, which requires some parts of the CAS software to be hardcoded in the STB chipset during the manufacturing process, because of which not all chipsets support all available CAS systems. CAS is a very important component in the eco system of digital TV service. It defines the content security, specifies minimum requirement of STB’s CPU, RAM and FLASH memory, operating system and the requirement of a critical head end component – Multiplexer (MUX).

    MUX is used to encrypt channels based on ECMs generated by the CAS systems. All CAS systems have different methods of generating ECMs, that depends on various parameters like service ID, transport stream ID, source channel, session ID, among others. The length of ECMs varies in different CAS systems, which makes it difficult for MUX vendors to support all available CAS systems.

    The benefits of interoperability cannot be passed on to the subscribers in the case of an MSO, since its functioning is restricted to a specific area. The infrastructure and the set up for provision of services with a MSO and a DTH operator are completely different. The provision of service with a DTH operator is a wireless infrastructure, while with a MSO is a wired set up and depends on a local cable operator for end mile connectivity. A DTH operator can have a boundless reach, but MSO will have a limitation of reach due to infrastructure and geographical conditions.

    Due to the disparity in re-transmission infrastructure of a DTH operator and MSO, the DTH operator will not be in a position to give access to subscribers or customers of a MSO. Hence, STB interoperability for MSO and DTH operators should not be allowed.

  • TRAI extends deadline for comments on ‘transparency in publishing of tariff offers’

    TRAI extends deadline for comments on ‘transparency in publishing of tariff offers’

    MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has extended the deadline for stakeholders to submit their comments on the consultation paper on ‘Transparency in Publishing of Tariff Offers’ by next year 23 January.

    TRAI had issued a consultation paper on ‘Transparency in Publishing of Tariff Offers’ on 27 November 2019. And, the original date for receiving written stakeholders’ comments was fixed on 26 December 2019 and counter comments by 9 January 2020.

    TRAI decided to extend the deadline because the stakeholders have sought extension of time for sending their comments on the consultation paper on transparency in publishing of tariff offers.

    Accepting industry’s request, TRAI has decided to extend the last date for submission of written comments up to 2 January 2020 and counter comments by 6 February 2020.

    The regulatory also made a point that no further request for extension would be entertained.

    Earlier last month, 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.

  • IBF, AIDCF say STB interoperability unviable in current conditions

    IBF, AIDCF say STB interoperability unviable in current conditions

    MUMBAI:  Universal interoperability of STBs in cable and DTH is not viable in the given conditions, Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) and All India Digital and Cable Federation (AIDCF) said in response to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)’s consultation paper on the (set top box) STB interoperability.

    Both associations suggested the authority to understand and analyse the transition of STB interoperability on the broadcasting ecosystem, with no disruption to the pay TV system before proceeding further on the consultation paper.

    The authority on 11 November had released a consultation paper on interoperable STBs for digital TV broadcasting services. It had sought comments from all stakeholders on the best solution to implement the STB interoperability.

    AIDCF brought to TRAI’s notice that DPOs and MSOs have invested a huge amount in the STB system to adapt the process of digitisation. And, any sudden change could put DPOs and MSOs in financial risk, which eventually could lead to job losses.

    The associations urged the authority to review the adherence of license conditions of the DTH operators at the field and analyse the behaviour of subscribers with respect to migration from one DTH Player to another.

    Even after the merger of Videocon and Dish TV the platforms are maintaining their separate systems and set top boxes due to no interoperability.  

    AIDCF in its comments said, around 40 million households, availing Free Dish broadcasting services, are using the non-interoperable STBs. The implementation of STB-interoperability would force subscribers to purchase new STBs while shifting to alternate service providers/DPOs.

    Similarly, investment of interoperable STBs is likely to be passed on to the subscribers, which would lead to a rise in consumer price for viewing cable services, added AIDCF.  

    Meanwhile, IBF said: “The authority, in the present consultation paper has stated that though there is de-jure technical interoperability but there is de-facto technical non-interoperability. Despite the presence of provisions relating to interoperability in the existing DTH guidelines, the concept has not yet been implemented owing primarily to the inability to provide get solutions.”

    IBF has also requested the authority to consider the preliminary submissions related to the viability of implementation of STBs: cost, safeguarding content, and no compromise on security, while contemplating any options for the implementation of STB interoperability.  

    “To proceed any further with the consultation, it would be most useful and relevant to conduct a technical and operational session to get a better understanding of the technology and possibly emerge with a proof of concept, prior to commenting on the technology and viability,” IBF suggested.

    The association believes that the introduction of STB interoperability would require a number of technological as well as operational capabilities and change thereby fostering the necessity to introduce content security provisions and anti-piracy mechanisms.

    They have also asked the authority to ensure that the expenditure incurred in acquainting the STBs with interoperability features, does not get irrationally passed on to consumers and that they are not burdened with the increased costs incurred.

    Most importantly, any regulatory provisions should be mandated after confirming viability, quality and standards of the emerging technology and should ensure that the security of the CAS, SMS and other related addressable systems of the DPOs is not compromised and is not susceptible to piracy.

    IBF also raised a concern over Embedded Common Interface (ECI), a solution considered by TRAI to achieve interoperability.

    “ECI does not meet the content security and technology needs of major content providers. ECP includes strong content security features and the ability to forensically watermark content distributed on home devices, set-top boxes, etc. ECI falls short of the ECP requirements. In particular, ECI does not require watermarking and does not create a secure location for a watermark,” IBF added.

  • TRAI extends deadline for comments on consultation paper to review NTO

    TRAI extends deadline for comments on consultation paper to review NTO

    MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has extended the deadline for the receipt of comments and counter comments on Consultation Paper on "Tariff related issues for Broadcasting and Cable services" till 23 September and 7 October respectively.

    The Authority had issued a consultation paper on "Tariff related issues for Broadcasting and Cable services" on 16 August 2019 inviting written comments from the stakeholders by 16 September 2019 and counter-comments, if any, from the stakeholders by 30 September 2019.

    In its release TRAI said, “On request from the stakeholders, the last date for receipt of written comments and counter-comments, if any, from the stakeholders, has been extended up to 23 September 2019 and 7 October 2019 respectively. No requests for any further extension of time for submission of comments shall be entertained.”

    TRAI issued the consultation paper to discuss the issues that have come up post implementation of the new regime. The authority also had extensive interactions with stakeholders including consumers and consumer organisations, at various forums, wherein stakeholders have also raised certain issues such as variable NCF for different regions, NCF for multi TV home, discount on long term plan, DD channels as part of one hundred channels etc.

    TRAI has observed that too many bouquets are formed by the broadcasters/DPOs and many of them contain very similar set of channels, with very few changes. This, according to the sector regulator, is not only creating confusion among consumers but also becoming a hurdle in choosing the channels.

    With too many bouquets of broadcasters and DPOs, consumers get confused and as a result are forced to adopt some suggested packs of TV channels, killing the freedom given to consumers to choose desired TV channels, feels the sector regulator.

  • Discovery Communications questions transparency, objectivity of recent TRAI consultation paper

    Discovery Communications questions transparency, objectivity of recent TRAI consultation paper

    MUMBAI: Discovery Communications India along with others filed a petition against the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in the Delhi High Court for quashing the consultation paper floated on tariff-related issues for broadcasting and cable services.

    “The petitioner submits that the impugned consultation paper is marred by judicial impropriety in as much as the impugned consultation paper fails to conform to the fundamental tenets of transparency and objectivity, by proceeding with a pre-determined notion that channel broadcasters have distorted the broadcasting market and consumer choice through perverse pricing and deep discounting, and have therefore called for suggestions on the ways and means to remedy the situation,” it said.

    “Being aggrieved by the pre-conceived and pre-determined approach of the respondent that is writ large on the face of the impugned consultation paper, the petitioners are constrained to approach this Hon'ble Court under its extraordinary writ jurisdiction to challenge the validity and legality of the process initiated under the Impugned consultation paper by the respondent, which clearly lacks objectivity, transparency and fairness of approach,” it added.

    One of the basic grounds for the petition is that the process of consultation is flawed as well as lacks objectivity. It has also been said that the consultation paper on the new tariff order issued by the respondent demonstrates a pre-determined approach of TRAI with respect to the broadcasters, which defeats the very purpose of such consultation. The petitioner has also submitted that the consultation paper contains serious allegations against the broadcaster.

    It has also been claimed that the consultation paper lacks objectivity, transparency and fairness in approach while 'transparency' is the basis of any consultation process. Hence, the impugned consultation paper fails to conform to the fundamental tenets of transparency and objectivity by asking leading questions in a public consultation exercise.

    “It is submitted that the respondent has vitiated the process of consultation by issuing leading questions along with conclusive statements making allegations against the petitioner. The petitioner submits that the respondent has approached with a close-mind at the stage of consultation process itself,” the petitioners said in the petition.

    Moreover, it also states that the consultation paper has the effect of interfering with the right of the broadcasters with reference to the manner in which, they would want to offer their product in bouquets and to such extent it is a direct infringement with the content of the broadcaster.

  • TRAI releases consultation paper on platform services by DTH operators

    TRAI releases consultation paper on platform services by DTH operators

    MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a consultation paper on platform services (PS) offered by DTH operators. The authority has invited comments from stakeholders by 27 September 2019.

    The consultation paper has been released with an aim to address the issues related to platform services (PS) and to come up with a regulatory framework for it.

    TRAI has received a reference from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) dated 2 July 2019 wherein the authority has been requested to give its considered recommendations related to platform services with reference to DTH guidelines. Some of its discussion points are listed here. DTH operators offering platform service channels have to ensure that the same content is not shared with any other DPO. The one-time registration fee to be enhanced to Rs 1 lakh per PS channel as against Rs 1000 per PS channel recommended earlier by the authority. The maximum number of PS channels that a DTH operator can offer and platform service could be sequenced separately from the regular channels.

    “India has a large base of pay TV subscribers. Predominantly, the pay TV services are being delivered through cable TV and direct to home (DTH) systems. Other modes of TV broadcasting such as internet protocol TV (IPTV), head-end in the sky (HITS) have minuscule subscriber base as compared to the cable TV and DTH systems. All TV channel distribution platform operators (DPOs), i.e. MSOs, DTH and HITS operators, operate certain kind of programming services which are specific to each platform and are not obtained from broadcasters. All these platform-specific services being offered by DPOs but not obtained from broadcasters have been referred to as platform services,” explained TRAI in its release.

    It further said, “DPOs use PS to offer innovative services and product differentiation. It also acts as a unique selling proposition (USP) for DPOs and also helps them in meeting the specific needs of their subscribers.”

    “Unlike private satellite TV channels, which are permitted and regulated under the uplinking/ downlinking guidelines of MIB, Platform services (PS) is not subject to any specific regulations or guidelines as of now,” said TRAI in its consultation paper.

    Earlier, the authority in its recommendations on a regulatory framework for platform services dated 19 November 2014 had, inter alia recommended that the definition of PS shall be “Platform services (PS) are programs transmitted by Distribution Platform Operators (DPOs) exclusively to their own subscribers and does not include Doordarshan channels and registered TV channels. PS shall not include foreign TV channels that are not registered in India.”

  • KYC imperative to curb smuggling of DTH STBs outside India: IBF

    KYC imperative to curb smuggling of DTH STBs outside India: IBF

    MUMBAI: Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) has shared its view on the consultation paper by TRAI on ‘KYC of DTH Set Top Boxes’. The association is of view that there is an absolute and an imminent need for introduction and proper enforcement of meaningful KYC or e-KYC stipulations of DTH STBs.

    The association believes that the step is necessary to curb smuggling of DTH STBs outside India and to bring in some level of threshold checks to counter the menace of piracy.

    “It is submitted that DTH STBs get rampantly smuggled to territories outside of India where they get used for illegal and unauthorised reception and/or retransmission of signals of channels. Due to such piracy, broadcasters face huge / irreparable revenue losses. Hence, there is a need for mandating KYC or e-KYC for DTH STBs to avoid smuggling of STBs overseas,” said IBF in its comments to TRAI.

    The association further informed, “DTH platforms in India are permitted to have subscribers only within the territory of India however, numerous unauthorised STBs of Indian DTH operators are reported to be active and functioning beyond the Indian territory due to the satellite footprints overspill. (For example – signals of DTH operators intended for Indian audience are also available in Middle-East, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Maldives, Nepal, Myanmar etc.).”

    “In case DTH STBs are found to be in use at a location other than the one specified at the time of installation, then KYC or e-KYC will enable the applicable DTH platform operator to directly approach the customer to investigate why and how such DTH STB was shifted / moved to the unauthorised premises / location. This will also quicken the process of nabbing the perpetrator in case of misuse of DTH STBs,” IBF suggested.

    The association also suggested that that initially the KYC or e-KYC should be completed at the time of installation. Post initial verification, random verification can be done on a periodic basis to ensure that STB is not moved from its installation address. Periodicity of such inspection can be at such reasonable intervals as may be decided basis discussion and consultation with relevant stakeholders however, with a gap of at least three months between each visit.

    The association has also supported incorporation of LBS in the existing DTH STBs. It also believes that the same should be mandated for all new STBs of all DPOs to track location and facilitate verification.

    “Keeping in view the growing penetration of DTH STBs and other DPOs, the security of the broadcasters’ content is of paramount importance and this will also help the DPOs to minimise their own revenue loss,” said IBF.

    ABP News, Sony Pictures Network and Times Network also shared their comments on the consultation paper. Agreeing to IBF’s view, all three broadcasters also feel that there is a need for KYC and e-KYC of set top boxes to prevent illegal use of STBs in India.

    Times Network suggested, “The KYC process should be designed in such a way that it is driven by technology and causes minimum disturbance to the users while at the same time achieves its desired purpose. If it is too cumbersome, it may deviate a part of subscriber to other modes like cable etc., where the KYC norms are not applied, thereby affecting the DTH business prospects in India.”

  • Broadcasters raise concern over TRAI consultation paper to review channel pricing

    Broadcasters raise concern over TRAI consultation paper to review channel pricing

    MUMBAI: The recent decision by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to review the issues of pricing of channels has brought about concern among broadcasters, according to a report by IANS. Broadcasters fear that the new approach, barely eight months into the new tariff regime, will only discourage and disincentivise fresh investment into the sector, which can have dire consequences.

    TRAI had recently released a consultation paper, which noted that broadcasters have been offering discounts of up to 70 per cent for bouquets compared to a la carte rates causing discrepancies for consumers. The consultation paper looks into the issue of pricing of channels by broadcasters, cable operators and distribution platforms.

    The paper primarily discusses issues related to discounts in the formation of the bouquets, ceiling price of channels for inclusion in bouquet, need for formation of bouquet by broadcasters and DPOs, variable NCF and discounts on long term plan.

    However, analysts told IANS that the consultation paper ‘Tariff-related issues for broadcasting and cable services' relating to the new tariff order (NTO), which came into force from February 1, did not take into account that consumers across the world opt for bouquets rather than individual channels as the former are cheaper.

    Analysts and broadcasters have also stressed that broadcasting cannot be counted as an essential service and those who cannot afford premium TV have the affordable options of viewing Doordarshan and FreeDish. Smaller channels and networks may even face an "existential crisis" in case TRAI implements a fresh pricing model.