ITV

Tag: Trai

  • Dish TV, Tata Sky lock horns over DVRs

    Dish TV, Tata Sky lock horns over DVRs

    NEW DELHI: Existing DTH player Dish TV has locked horns with Tata Sky over interoperability — or its waiver — of digital video recorders to be made available to consumers of a DTH service in India.

    DTH license holder ASC Enterprises, which operates the Dish TV brand, has told the broadcast regulator that if digital video recorders (DVRs) are not interoperable, as mandated in DTH guidelines, it would “compromise” consumer interest.

    On the other hand, Tata Sky and technology company NDS (controlled by Rupert Murdoch) have said that “interoperability is not feasible on high end devices” like DVRs.
    “The technical specifications vary with the (DVR) models that are introduced and these were not envisaged when BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) drew up STB specifications,” Tata Sky has said in its submission to the regulator.

    ASC Enterprises has counter-punched by saying that existing clauses on interoperability of boxes protect the “consumer interests by ensuring they switch over their service providers for the basic functionality of watching the broadcast channels as per their option and choice.”

    If that was not enough, Tata Sky and residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) have come out in support of multi-dwelling unit (MDU) technology, which has been strongly opposed by all sections of the cable industry, including Cable Operators’ Federation of India (COFI), which feels cable ops stand to become redundant.

    MDU technology, being tested by Tata Sky for its proposed DTH service in a few cities, envisages making available a DTH service to multiple homes through a common dish antenna, but separate set-top boxes.

    The technology is being touted by its supporters as cost effective for consumers and as a safeguard for “aesthetic” senses in concrete jungles that Indian cities are turning into.

    Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had asked for comments on various issues related to DTH, including whether certain clauses in the DTH guidelines need to be amended to exclude DVRs from being interoperable.

    Fifteen individuals/organizations, including a clutch of RWAs, have submitted their feedback, baring the fact there isn’t consensus on matters like DVRs and MDU technology, which have the potential of changing the way people consume television fare in India.

    Even a company like Anil Ambani’s Reliance Infocomm, whose DTH license application hasn’t been processed by the government, feels that DVRs should be kept interoperable.

    “The clauses 7.1 & 7.2 of DTH license conditions need not be amended to exclude digital video recorders. All set top boxes whether simple STB or personal video recorder/ DVR-enabled set top boxes should be interoperable,” Reliance has stated

    The full text of feedback, peppered with technical jargons and occasional innuendoes hitting at opponents, can be seen on the regulator’s website, www.trai.gov.in.

     

  • CAS rollout: Delhi HC ‘no’ to government plea for more time

    CAS rollout: Delhi HC ‘no’ to government plea for more time

    NEW DELHI: The Indian government yet again pleaded for more time to roll out CAS — six months to be exact — but a Delhi court has refused to accede to the request asking for a final stand by the next date of hearing.

    According to early information available with Indiantelevision.com, even the broadcast regulator pleaded for four to five months time to sort out CAS-related issues like pricing of TV channels.

    The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) submitted to the Delhi High Court today that it has initiated a dialogue with the industry stakeholders on issues related to CAS and which would take few months time to complete and arrive at some consensus.

    However, the court was in no mood to listen to such pleas and fixed the next date of hearing for 19 July.

    The court observed that if the government is unable to sort out CAS matters, then it could also explore the possibility of going ahead with the rollout based on the Chennai model.

    It also said that the government has already used up three month’s time from 10 March when the first directive came to roll out CAS in Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai within a month’s time.

    Chennai is the only city in India where CAS has been rolled out and running smoothly since 2003.

    Reference to do away with government mandated CAS was also mentioned in the court today during a hearing and reference was made of the relevant section from a draft Broadcast Bill 2006, which is being circulated amongst government organizations for feedback.

    A clutch of MSOs, including Hathway and INCablenet, had filed a case against the government on CAS in the Delhi High Court late 2004, alleging that keeping addressability in abeyance had resulted in financial losses to the petitioners.

  • CAS switchover modalities will hit broadcasters, MSOs hard; Trai to have final say

    CAS switchover modalities will hit broadcasters, MSOs hard; Trai to have final say

    MUMBAI: A day after the government issued a notification setting 31 December, 2006 as the deadline for the three metros of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata to be fully “CAS delivered”, it fired the real bombshell – the framework under which addressability would be introduced in the notified areas.

    The backdated (31 July) notification covers a whole range of conditions that impact all constituents of the cable service delivery chain – broadcasters, cable MSOs, last mile operators. It even delves into issues of advertising.

    Interestingly, embedded in the fine print of the notification is a clause that allows the government to extend the time frame for the CAS switchover if it believes that the arrangements made by MSOs are inadequate and therefore “likely to be against the interests of a substantial portion of the subscribers in any notified area.”

    Tasked with overseeing all this is the cable and broadcast regulator which has been given extraordinary powers in regards to the switchover to addressability in the areas that fall under the CAS notification – the Kolkata Metropolitan areas, the areas covered by the Municipal Council of Greater Mumbai and the National Capital Region of Delhi.

    The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), will be the final word on not just pricing of pay channels, but also in the granting of permission to cable service providers to offer addressable services, among a host of other extremely restrictive conditionalities. Some of the key issues the notification covers are:

    Interconnect Agreements
    It is Trai that will determine the “standard interconnection agreement to be used for entering into commercial agreements for distribution in the notified areas, of pay or free-to-air channels among (i) broadcasters and multi-system operators; and (ii) MSOs and local cable operators.”

    (a) Trai will set the maximum limits of security deposit and monthly rental for supply, maintenance and servicing of set top boxes of prescribed specifications to the subscribers on rental basis by multi-system operators in the notified areas;

    (b) tariff for the basic service tier along with the minimum number of free-to-air channels to be provided by the multi-system operators or local cable operators to the subscribers in the notified areas;

    (c) regulations for quality of service to be provided by the multi- system operators or local cable operators to the subscribers in the notified areas.

    Channel Pricing
    (1) Every broadcaster will have to declare the nature of each of its channels as ‘pay’ or ‘free-to-air’ channel as well as the maximum retail price of each of its ‘pay’ channels to be charged by the multi-system operators or local cable operators from the subscribers in each of the notified areas.

    (2) Each broadcaster will have to file the declaration of the nature and prices of channels within 15 days of the date of notification by the government.

    (3) If Trai believes the price declared by the broadcaster for any of its pay channels is too high, it has the right to fix and declare the maximum retail price of such a pay channel or fix a general maximum retail price for all pay channels within which the broadcasters may declare their individual prices for each pay channel.

    Any order issued in this regard by the regulator will be binding on the broadcasters and the multi-system operators and local cable operators.

    (5) If a broadcaster fails to declare the price of any of its pay channels within the prescribed time limit, or fails to comply with the direction or refuses or fails to enter into an interconnect agreement with a MSO permitted by the government within the prescribed time limit, the authority can take interim measures to ensure supply of
    signals.

    (6) If the broadcaster does not comply with the directives issued by Trai, the government may, if asked to do so by the regulator, suspend permission to broadcast the channel in the country.

    (7) Every declaration on pricing filed by the broadcaster will remain valid for one Year. If the broadcaster wants to revise the price of any channel or convert a pay channel to free-to-air or a free-to-air channel to a pay channel, it will have to give one month’s notice to the MSO and subscribers:

    MSOs, Cable Ops Will Need Government Permission To Operate
    (1) No multi-system operator can provide addressable cable services without permission from the government.

    (2) Every MSO has been given 30 days to apply to the I&B ministry for permission to operate, along with a processing fee of Rs 10,000.

    (3) After receiving the application, the I&B ministry has 30 days to either grant or refuse permission on the basis of information that will include existing operational area, actual number of subscribers and addresses of its local cable operators in each of the notified areas, commercial arrangements with the broadcasters and local cable operators, if any, financial strength, management capability, security clearance and preparedness to supply and maintain adequate number of set top boxes for its subscribers, installation of its subscriber management system and compliance with all other quality of service standards that may be specified by Trai.

    (4) In the event of an MSO failing or refusing to enter into interconnect agreements with a broadcaster of a pay channel or an adequate number of local cable operators in the notified areas or violates the terms and conditions laid down, Trai can take interim measures to ensure supply of signals. Though what these interim measures might involve is not spelt out, it would appear to indicate that the licence to operate would in that particular area would be given to some other MSO.

    (5) MSOs violating the terms and conditions laid down by Trai face revocation of their licence.

    Public Awareness Campaign About CAS
    (1) Every MSO will have to adequately publicise to its subscribers for a period of 30 days, either through advertisements in the print and electronic media or through other means (e.g. leaflets, printing on the reverse of the receipts, personal visits, group meetings with subscribers or consumer groups etc.) the salient features of the CAS scheme.

    These will include:-
    (a) A-la-carte subscription rates and the periodic intervals at which such subscriptions are payable for receiving the various pay channels;

    (b) The refundable security deposit and the daily or monthly rental payable for the set-top box and its detailed specifications such as make, model, technical specifications, user manuals and maintenance centres etc.;

    (c) The number and names of free-to-air channels that the multi-system operator will provide to the subscribers and specific placement of each channel in the prime or non-prime bands;

    (d) The prescribed monthly service charge to be paid by each subscriber for receiving the basic tier service and the number of additional free-to-air channels, if any, offered by the MSO.

    (e) The quality of service standards specified by Trai and the arrangements made by the MSO to comply with these standards;

    (f) The subscriber management system established by the MSO to demonstrate the functioning of the STBs and interact with the subscribers to explain the various financial, logistic and technical aspects of the system for its smooth implementation;

    (g) The arrangements for resolution of disputes between the MSO, LCOs, and subscribers in respect of the quality of service standards, payments and refunds etc.

    (2) The Authority may also arrange public awareness activities in the notified areas either directly or through authorized officers or consumer organizations etc..

    Supply And Installation of STBs
    (1) Every subscriber who wants to receive one or more pay channels shall, during the public awareness campaign or within 15 days after its expiry, apply to any one of the MSOs granted permission either directly or through any of his linked LCOs, to supply and install one or more set top boxes in his premises as per the scheme approved by Trai and deliver the requisite channels through the same:

    Provided that every subscriber shall be free to buy an STB of approved quality from the open market, if available and technically compatible with the MSO’s system. No MSO or cable operator can force any subscriber to buy or to take on rent the STB from him only.

    (2) Every subscriber who wants to receive one or more pay channels can either buy an technically compatible STB from the open market or apply to anyone of the MSOs either directly or through any of his linked LCOs, to supply and install one or more STBs in his.

    (3) Every MSO will have to set up and operationalise its subscriber management system within the determined time frame.

    Dispute Resolution Mechanism
    Every multi-system operator shall be obliged to maintain the quality of service as per the standards, including the arrangements for handling complaints and redressal of grievances of the subscribers, as may be determined by regulation or order by the Authority. The Authority may look into the efficacy of such arrangements and issue necessary directions to the concerned parties for compliance.

    Transition To Addressable Systems
    (1) Immediately on operationalisation of the SMS and the installation of STBs, every MSO will have to provide pay channels in encrypted as well as unencrypted form for a period of not less than 15 days to test out the quality of service, remove any technical or operational snags and enable the subscribers to become familiar with the operation of addressable systems at their end.

    (2) Before the start of the transition period Trai can call for progress or compliance reports from the service providers.

    (3) If Trai is of the opinion that the arrangements made by the MSOs are not adequate and the switchover to CAS is likely to be against the interests of a substantial portion of the subscribers in any notified area, it may recommend to the government an extension of the notified date by such period as in its opinion is the minimum required for the satisfactory completion of the necessary arrangements by the MSOs.

    Advertisements
    No programme shall carry advertisements exceeding 12 minutes per hour, which may include up to ten minutes per hour of commercial advertisements, and up to two minutes per hour of a channel’s self-promotional programmes.

  • UAE acquires rights to 225 digital channels

    UAE acquires rights to 225 digital channels

    MUMBAI: The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) in the UAE, has acquired rights to 225 digital channels at the recently concluded ITU Regional Radio Communication Conference (RRC) held in Geneva from 15 May 15th – 16 June 2006.

    The month-long conference was aimed at facilitating the transition from analogue media broadcasting to digital. The conference organised channel allocation among participating countries, based on a newly formulated digital terrestrial TV broadcasting plan.

    TRA DG Mohamed Nasser Al Ghanim said, “The UAE team has acquired 225 digital terrestrial TV channels out of the 236 present in the UHF and VHF bands. The TRA has authority on these channels, and we will soon issue regulatory lists to start giving licenses for channels use.”

    “The UAE will undergo tremendous change and growth in the field of TV and radio transmission in the coming few years so that people can watch the terrestrial channels’ TV programmes either at home or through their PDAs . In order to accelerate and facilitate the change, TRA is putting in place regulations that are in line with international guidelines in the field”.

    At the conference, the UAE acquired several leading positions in the conference, and assumed responsibility for chairing one of the negotiating teams, vice-chairing the special team for a new regional treaty and also vice-chairing a special team dedicated to revising the previous agreement.

    Prior to the conference, the TRA had organised several local preparatory meetings to reschedule UAE’s digital broadcasting channels in the 174-230 MHZ and 470-862 MHZ frequency bands through advanced software programs used for regulating the broadcasting spectrum according to digital maps of the country. The TRA also organised regional congresses with neighboring countries (GCC, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, and the Republic of Yemen) to ensure a united front on broadcasting.

    The UAE is expected to transit to digital terrestrial broadcasting system within two years as part of an overall strategy to enhance the telecommunications sector in the country, and the TRA will be in charge of ensuring a smooth and successful transition to the new broadcasting paradigm.

    A key issue at the conference was the protection of analogue terrestrial broadcasting from digital interference until the year 2015 to ease the transition between the technologies. All conference participants signed a new treaty outlining terrestrial TV channels provision.

  • Trai clarifies on pay channels in CAS notified areas

    MUMBAI: TRAI had issued press releases on 15/10/06, 25/10/06, 14.11.2006 and 30.11.2006 placing the details of Maximum Retail Prices fixed by the broadcasters in respect of CAS areas on the basis of the reporting done by them in terms of clause 7 (ii) of the Tariff Order of 31/8/2006.

    The list placed on the website currently contains details of 13 broadcasters. Subsequently, the Authority was informed that some of the pay channels listed in the website are not pay channels in some of the notified areas.

    The issue was accordingly taken up with the broadcasters and the broadcasters have now indicated the correct position in respect of these identified channels. The changes reported are as under:-

    Name of the Channel and Broadcaster Status as reported earlier Status as reported now

    M/s Set Discovery India Private Limited

    i)Animal Planet 5/-, ii)Animax 5/-, iii)AXN 5/-, iv)Discovery 5/-, v) Discovery Travel & Living 5/-,vi) MTV 5/-,vii)NDTV Profit 5/-viii)NDTV 24/7 -5/-,ix) Nick 5/-, x) SAB 5/-,xi) SET 5/-, xii) SET MAX 5/-,xiii) SET PIX 5/-,xiv) Ten Sports 5/-

    		 Pay Channel in all notified areas Rates as indicated are applicable in all CAS notified areas including Chennai area where CAS is already in force except for NDTV 24X7 and NDTV profit which are FTA in the CAS notified areas of Chennai
    M/s Zee Turner Limited

    Zee TV 5/-, ii) Zee Trendz 5/-,iii)Reality 5/-,iv)CNBC 5/-, v) Cartoon Network 5/-, vi) Zee Marathi 5/- ,vii) Zee Gujarati 5/- , ix) Zee Punjabi 5/- ix) Zee Bangla 5/-, x) Zee Cinema 5/-, xi)Zee Studio 5/, xii)Zee Café5/-, xiii) Zee News 5/-, xiv) CNN 5/-xv) HBO 5/-, xvi) VH1 5/-,xvii) Zee Business 5/-, xviii) Awaaz 5/-, xix) POGO 5/-, xx) Zee Sports 5/-, xxi) Zee Premier 5/- , xxii) Zee Classic 5/-, xxiii) Zee Action 5/-, xxiv) Zee Kanada 5/-, xxv) Zee Telegue 5/- xxvi) Play TV 5/-, xxvii) ETC Punjabi 5/-, xxviii) ETC 5/-, xxix) Zee Music 5/-, xxx ) Zee Jagaran 5/-, xxxi) Zee Smile 5/-, xxxii) 24 Ghante 5/-, xxxiii) CNN-IBN 5/-.

    		 Pay Channel in all notified areas CNN IBN would be a pay channel in all the CAS notified areas with the exception of Chennai where it would be FTA.
    M/s MAA Television Network Limited

    MAA TV 5/-

    		 Pay channel in all notified areas MAA TV channel is pay in all CAS notified areas including Chennai.

    A corrected and updated list has been placed on TRAI’s website www.trai.gov.in

  • TRAI releases consultation paper on “Review of Internet Services”

    MUMBAI: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India received a reference from Department of Telecommunication seeking recommendations on Internet Services. The Government is contemplating to review the policy of Internet Services with a view to address large number of ISP licenses, grey market operations, level playing field vis-?-vis other licensed telecom service providers, for a effective, regulated and forward looking ISP license.

    It may be recalled that Internet services were launched in India on 15th August 1995. In November 1998 the Government opened up the sector for providing Internet services by private operators. A liberal licensing regime was put in place with a view to increase Internet penetration across the country. Though large number of ISPs (389) has been licensed to operate Internet service today, top 20 ISPs provide Internet services to 98per cent subscribers.

    Internet Telephony has been permitted to 128 ISPs, however only 32 of them are presently providing Internet Telephony. The growth of Internet and Broadband is slow and with present growth it is not likely to achieve the target of 18 million Internet subscribers and 9 million Broadband connections by 2007.

    Government is concerned with increasing IP telephony called grey market. The loss of government revenue, unlicensed operation by certain operators in violation of law of the land, depleting market share of licensed operators are some of the reasons which necessitates urgent review of policy of Internet services as well as ISP licensing conditions.

     

    Numbers of new services like IP-TV, IP-Telephony etc are becoming very popular. The demands of the various content services are likely to increase in coming years. The scope of services under existing ISP license conditions are unclear. There is need to remove these ambiguities to smoothen roll out of these services while ensuring level playing field vis-a vis other licensed telecom operators.

     

    The consultation paper discusses in detail various issues like level playing field vis a vis other telecom service providers, different foreign direct investment limits for provision of similar services under different licenses, virtually no license fee, limited performance bank guarantee and charging of radio spectrum based on allocated frequency, hops, link length etc. While ISPs demand permission to provide emerging new services as IP based value added services, other licensed operators want level paying field as ISPs virtually pay no license fee and very low performance bank guarantee.

     

    ISPs are permitted to have 100 FDI if they do not setup their own gateway (74 per cent FDI if they setup their International gateway) but UASL and CMTS operators can normally get FDI up to just 49 per cent unless they fulfill other conditions in which case it can go up to 74 per cent. The spectrum charging mechanism for ISPs is based on complex mechanism and at time very costly.

     

    In order to address these issues pertaining to Internet Services, Authority has decided to release a consultation paper on “Review of Internet Services”. The consultation paper discusses in depth present scenario, regulatory environment, emerging trend and emphasizes the need to revamp internet services in India.

    The consultation paper is available on TRAI’s website: (www.trai.gov.in) All the stakeholders are requested to send their written comments to the Authority through email/ fax/letter by 15th January 2007

  • Trai releases draft on quality of service norms for CAS Areas

    Trai releases draft on quality of service norms for CAS Areas

    NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) today released a draft regulation on quality of service for CAS areas.

    The draft regulation covers areas like fresh connection, transfer and shifting of cable television service, complaint handling and redressal, billing procedure and complaints, STB-related issues and complaints, change in position of channels and taking channels off the air and technical standards.

    The industry can also send its feedback to the regualor on the draft regulation, which are aimed at streamlining norms for CAS and formualting a standardised agreements amongst industry stakeholders like broadcasters and MSOs and MSOs and cable operators.,

  • Tariffs for CAS areas: Trai seeks industry feedback

    Tariffs for CAS areas: Trai seeks industry feedback

    NEW DELHI: The broadcast regulator is at it again — issuing another set of consultation paper on cable TV prices for CAS areas.

    The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) today floated a paper on amendments to the tariff order for CAS areas asking stakeholders whether the regulator should fix the maximum retail prices (MRPs) of TV channels, amongst other things.

    The last date for the industry to give feedback is 5 July 2006, the day when the government is supposed to revert to the Delhi High Court on the status of CAS rollout in Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai.

    Pointing out that the latest initiative is at he behest of the industry, Trai said, “Several stakeholders (had) suggested fixation of ceilings for individual channels. Since this is at variance with the earlier decision of Trai, it was considered appropriate to undertake a fresh consultation on the specific issues of regulation of tariff in CAS areas.”

    A Trai, official, however, denied that these consultation papers would any way affect a court case on CAS or that it would give the government some breathing space when it updates the judiciary on CAS’ rollout plans.

    “The issue of consultation papers and government’s stand on CAS are different matters,” the official stressed, refusing to expand any further.

    On 10 March 2006, the Delhi High Court had directed that CAS be implemented in three cities within a month’s time after being petitioned by a group of MSOs.

    Subsequently, the I&B ministry had held a series of meetings with industry stakeholders and consumer groups and had submitted to the court that for an effective rollout of CAS an additional 265 days were needed.

    The court, after making clear its disapproval of such suggestions and penalizing the ministry Rs. 100,000 (RS 1 lakh) for delay, asked the government to come back with a final implementation plan by 5 July.

    The regulator’s fresh consultation paper covers the following issues:

    i) Should Trai fix the maximum retail price for each individual channel?

    ii) If so, what should be the methodology and principles to be adopted for the same?

    iii) Should Trai promote individual choice of channels by fixation of the maximum price as a percentage of the average price of a channel in a bouquet and, if so, what should be this percentage?

    (iv) If the individual MRPs are fixed by Trai, along with a formula as indicated, should TRAI also regulate the maximum permissible discount for the bouquet of channels? If so what should be the discount and what are the principles on which this should be calculated?

    (v) The choice of the precise option out of the several alternatives to regulate prices in a CAS environment.

  • Trai drafts standardised interconnect regulations

    Trai drafts standardised interconnect regulations

    NEW DELHI: In a bid to streamline the cable industry, sector regulator today released the proposed standard forms of interconnect agreements for CAS areas between broadcasters and multi system operators and between MSOs and local cable operators (LCOs).

    The reason for this being suggestions from the industry stake holders to the government that a standard form of interconnect agreements be formulated.

    On 10 March, 2006 the Delhi High Court had directed the government implement CAS in Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai within a month’s time.

    Subsequent to this order, a series of meetings were taken by the information and broadcasting ministry.

    Taking note of suggestions emanating from the meetings, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has decided to finalise a standard format for interconnection agreements for CAS in consultation with the industry.

    Accordingly, a draft of the standard forms has been placed on the website of Trai today. The draft agreements contain a number of sections and provisions.

    One of them relate to revenue sharing. The actual revenue share percentages have been left blank in the draft and are proposed to be filled up after getting comments of the stakeholders.

    Trai has also asked for feedback on the following:

    •Should there be a uniform revenue share percentage between all broadcasters and MSOs and MSOs and LCOs. If yes, what should be the revenue share percentages? What is the methodology, data and principles on which these are based?

    •Should the revenue share percentages be different for different broadcasters? If so, should the rates for different broadcasters prevailing in Chennai be adopted in other CAS notified areas?

    •Is there any other alternative method of arriving at the revenue share?

    A draft regulation has also put on the website for comments containing the provisions for the standard agreements as well as a clause for prohibiting minimum subscriber guarantee. The deadline for sending comments is 27 June.

  • Trai proposes to amend Cable TV Act

    Trai proposes to amend Cable TV Act

    NEW DELHI: Broadcast and telecom regulator proposes to amend the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and the existing telecom licenses to facilitate growth of IPTV services in the country.

    The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) today released the proposed amendments in the Cable Television Networks Act and other material for industry feedback.Giving the reasons for this proposed amendment, which will have to be okayed by the government, Trai said, “During consultation process on issues relating to convergence and competition in broadcasting and telecommunications, certain problems were pointed out, which are likely to arise if IPTV services are to be governed by the existing Cable Television 
    Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995.”

    It added, “The possible solution for resolving the regulatory problems is amending the existing telecom licenses and the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995.”

    After holding a series of meetings with various stakeholders on the issues involved, Trai has finalized a draft of the proposed amendments in relevant rules.It had been pointed out that the following problems are likely to arise if IPTV services are to be governed by the existing Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995:

    i. Technological requirement of IPTV to deliver content through a set top box leads to non-compliance with the requirement of Section 4A of Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 about free to air channels not needing an addressable system.

    ii. Use of different protocols by different companies and lack of standardization for IPTV services violates the requirement of Section 9 of the Cable TV Act about use of equipment conforming to Bureau of Indian Standards.

    iii. Applicability of FDI norms, downlinking guidelines and programme codes on a unified licensee providing IPTV services with same content as cable TV needs clarification.

    Trai said that the problems have come up as the Cable Television Act was formulated when IPTV service was not even conceived.

    One of the amendments proposed by the regulator includes defining `cable service’ as means the transmission by cables of programmes including retransmission by cables of any broadcast television signals, but does not include video service offered under Unified Access Service Licence by the Unified Access Service Licence holders on their networks.

    This part is aimed at keeping IPTV services outside the definition of “cable services” so that such service would not get hit by Section 4A(6) of the Cable Television Act on basic tier programming not requiring a box.

    The details of the proposed amendments are available on the regulator’s website, www.trai.gov.in, for feedback from the industry.