Tag: Trai

SmarDTV Global reinforces position in India

MUMBAI: SmarDTV Global, with more than 20 years’ experience and millions of devices successfully deployed across the globe, is a European leading company in designing, developing and delivering secure and reliable devices for the digital pay TV industry.  The company has established longstanding partnerships with top key specialists in the overall pay tv ecosystem: system on chip (SoC), security providers, software, hardware, app creation and manufacturing, acquiring a deep understanding and knowledge of complex and constantly evolving ecosystems. Cumulating inhouse expertise in security data communication and access control, hardware design and software engineering in the video industry, SmarDTV Global is able to solve pay TV operators’ problems by overcoming new technology challenges and handling complex integration for them in an end-to-end solution.

The company is focusing on long-term and sustainable relationships with customers to create together durable successes, keeping up innovation, while minimizing investments. Today, SmarDTV Global can help and support them during the ongoing digital pay-tv transition, with a wide range of consumer devices from broadcast to hybrid solutions, on satellite, cable or terrestrial networks including new IP-based services.

With an international presence, the company is close to its customers to deliver tailored solutions and support. SmarDTV Global is innovating by co-defining with customers enriched TV viewing experiences and creative features for the best value to monetise.

The company provides worldwide operators with 100+ products including set-top-boxes and conditional access modules (CAM) for the consumer market and solutions for the professional and hospitality industry. The largest operators have selected its solutions in 100+ countries with a full presence in extended Europe.

Sumeer Raina – Sales & marketing
director

SmarDTV Global, as a key contributor to the worldwide pay tv industry, reinforces its position in Asia and mainly in India with SmarDTV Global Technology, its Bengaluru office focused on R&D development, customer delivery and support and an office in Noida to contribute to develop sales and marketing products, closely working on Indian market expectations and customers’ requests.

“SmarDTV Global can actively contribute in the Indian pay tv business, benefiting from a broad experience and knowhow in delivering accurate and cost-effective devices, supporting operators to cope with new technical, commercial and skills challenges as complexity constantly increases with growing and evolving ecosystems” said SmarDTB Global chief operating officer Hervé Mathieu. “To overcome such exciting challenges, we are extremely pleased to announce that business development veteran Sumeer Raina joins us as sales & marketing director to focus and strengthen SAARC business opportunities."

Sumeer’s responsibility encompasses business expansion plan in the SAARC region, contributing to SmarDTV Global marketing & business Sales strategies thus by acceleratingthe company’s growth and revenue.

Sumeer brings 20 years of rich broadcast & telecom experience in business development leadership. Prior to joining SmarDTV Global, Sumeer gained leadership momentum and expertise working with technology multinational companies like Huawei Technologies, Nagravision SA and STMicroelectronics. He has has worked on different products ranging from digital content security, semiconductors, telecom and pay TV. He has a strong understanding of the whole gamut of the value chain in technology business. He is a graduate of Pune University in electronics engineering and has honed his business management leadership being part of Harvard Business School Alumni.

SmarDTV global sales team is strengthened with Sumeer’s presence in India. He is excited to accelerate business plans in India and extended SAARC region to deliver high quality customized products with local technical and commercial support. The Product offering encompasses the video domain ranging from set top boxes, CAM and with any differentiator break through to come.

Sumeer believes being a global technology leader in CAM technology, SmarDTV Global can be an advisor and offer Indian customers help to migrate CI Plus 2.0 standard (USB CAM) for STB’s and TV in line with recent mandate from TRAI.

Please visit www.smardtv.com for more information.

Contact : Nadine FAVENNEC, nadine.favennec@smardtv.com | +33442838000

June 15, 2020
TRAI consultation paper: Tech players echo need for defined CAS/SMS framework

MUMBAI: The irregularities in the conditional access system (CAS) and subscriber management systems (SMS), the key pillars of delivering broadcast services in the digitised era, have been major concerns for stakeholders. Like all broadcasters and major distribution platform operators (DPOs), technology players have voiced the need to define a framework for CAS/SMS systems as the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued a consultation paper seeking comments on the issue.

ByDesign India Private Ltd (BIPL), which offers an advanced embedded security CAS, SMS platform, recommends certain additional audit measures to improve the compliance of CAS, SMS which can be utilised by TRAI and/or its appointed auditors as it is of the view that self-certification is not sufficient.

“BIPL has long been an advocate for standardisation of the systems which creates a level playing field and a fair operating environment for all ecosystem partners," it said. According to it, a defined framework with minimum requirements would ensure good service quality to end consumers, help broadcasters by reducing content security threat and prevent loss of revenue for the government of India. It mentioned the dire need to define a framework to benchmark the minimum requirements of the system before these can be deployed by any DPO in India.

“A standard framework also allows the product / application developers / providers to plan their resources and price their products / services in accordance to the market offerings and end consumer requirements. This helps in running sustainable business operations with healthy competition and implementing growth strategies thereby providing confidence and satisfaction to its investors, shareholders as well as its employees,” it added.

Nagra Kudelski opined that a certificate from CAS and SMS vendor is sufficient to confirm the compliance of CAS, SMS. However, it also noted that a compliance certificate certifying that the SoC (System on Chip) has implemented secure TEE or hardware root of trust (security module) needs to be issued by the SoC vendor. It also added that SoC, CAS, SMS vendors should have a registered office in India with the necessary infrastructure to provide 24 x 7 support.

“While we follow the Digital Video Broadcasting Project (DVB) standards, we also agree that there is a need to define a framework for the overall Digital TV systems in India. There is a need to define CAS security and robustness to ensure that the business and technical interests of Operators and the Government of India are fully met,” it stated further.

ReliableSoft, one of the leading SMS providers in India recommended that TRAI should finalise benchmark features of SMS apart from Schedule III features and then all DPOs should conform those features with their existing SMS or New SMS that DPOs are going to finalise, based on that SMS compliance can be improved. It is also in favour of a defined framework for SMS systems in India.

Schedule III of the interconnection regulation specifies the benchmark features or technical criteria that the systems are required to comply with. In addition, there are provisions in Schedule III that entail CAS and SMS systems to conform to certain technical features to check the piracy.

SAFEVIEW, which offers CAS/DRM solution to TV operators, said that CAS-issued certificate for the SMS deployed in that particular DPO should be made mandatory. It also added that current version of CAS deployed needs to be certified by an accredited international agency for Hollywood studios. It is also in favour of defining a framework for CAS/ SMS systems to benchmark the minimum requirements.

However, technology players differ in their opinion on the topic that who should be entrusted with the task of defining the framework. BIPL said a committee should be entrusted with a chairperson who should be reporting to the regulator. It also suggested representation from TRAI, ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB), ministry of electronics and information technology ( MEITY), ministry of home affairs (MHA), ministry of finance (MoF), ministry of company/ corporate and consumer affairs, Prasar Bharati, Software Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) Directorate, BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards).

“We propose that TRAI leads the overall monitoring and execution with support from BIS. Assign industry members including the leading CAS vendors, operators and SMS vendors as part of a group to define the framework. As TRAI is the leading authority that defines the rules and regulations for the industry, and therefore, is in best position to ensure proper measures are put in place. Adding industry members will ensure that the operation and business interests are considered as part of the framework,” Nagra Kudelski said.

ReliableSoft suggested that STQC Directorate should be entrusted with the task while SAFEVIEW recommended TRAI itself should take up the task.

June 15, 2020
TRAI consultation: B’casters insist on framework, stakeholder-based industry body for CAS/SMS

MUMBAI: While one of the prime targets of digitisation, the cable industry, was bringing transparency, the irregularities in the conditional access system (CAS) and subscriber management systems (SMS) have been major concerns for broadcasters. Bringing a ray of hope to many broadcasters, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released a consultation paper seeking comments on the issue. In their submissions, all broadcasters have strongly advised a need to define a framework for CAS/SMS systems and an industry body to be entrusted with the responsibility.

Star India said that there is an urgent need to define a framework for CAS/SMS systems to benchmark the minimum requirements of the system before these can be deployed as presently there are many CAS and SMS systems deployed that do not have required features and capabilities for securing content and reporting accurate subscriber numbers. It added that robust framework is required in order to ensure that there is no possibility of manipulation of records and piracy/illegal retransmission of signals of channels by deployment of sub-standard CAS and SMS systems as the same leads to loss of revenue to the operator, broadcaster as well as to the government in form of taxes.

It also recommended that the technical framework must be strengthened by forming an autonomous body that will be responsible for defining the framework, accreditation of the vendors, ensuring timely upgradation of Schedule III technical specification and operational requirements and continued compliance by the CAS and SMS vendors with the requirements of Schedule III. The broadcaster added that the autonomous body may be set up by representatives of broadcasters or DPOs or CAS and SMS vendors only. This body shall be entrusted with the task of accreditation, upgradation of specifications with the involvement of technical experts, and through a consultative process with relevant stakeholders defining the framework.

“However, till such time the autonomous body is set up, it is imperative that Schedule III of the interconnect regulations be amended at the earliest to reflect the proposed changes and to enable strict compliance of the requirements of the amended Schedule III by DPOs and CAS and SMS vendors in order to eliminate under-declaration, manipulation of subscriber numbers and illegal retransmission of TV signals and to enable the integrity of CAS and SMS systems. In the interim until the finalisation and setting up of the autonomous body, the CAS and SMS vendors shall be held responsible for compliance of Schedule III, through the DPO and the SLA between them, it added further.”

Schedule III of the interconnection regulation specifies the benchmark features or technical criteria that the systems are required to comply with. In addition, there are provisions in Schedule III that entail CAS and SMS systems to conform to certain technical features to check the piracy.

Zeel Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) said there is a need to define the minimum basic functionality (MBF) for every CAS/SMS system to be approved in the country. Irrespective of the technology deployed, the few basic criteria should be met.

However, Zeel has suggested different entities rather than one autonomous body. “There are different roles which need to be performed by a different set of entities so that checks and balances are maintained and there is a concept of maker, checker, reviewer, auditor and adjudicator. The role of setting standards for CAS, SMS, MUX and DHE should ideally reside with a multidisciplinary body which has representation from relevant ministries of the government, TRAI, CDAC, STQC, broadcasters, major distribution platforms, major CAS, SMS, MUX, STB, DHE vendors, chip manufacturers, device manufacturers and noted academicians of international repute and TRAI empanelled auditors.

“Such an agency could work under the direct supervision of TRAI as they are well versed with the intricate issues of the industry and can bring realistic elements in a timebound manner. The body/agency drafting standards should not overlap with either the body/agency providing the certification and/or the body/agency in the role of audit of these systems at a later stage. All these three units should be watertight and completely mutually exclusive,” it added.

According to Zeel, there should be a designated agency to carry out the testing and certification to ensure compliance with such a framework. It mentioned that TEC is the agency which is appropriately placed to carry such testing as they have been doing the same for Telco equipment and have processes and procedures in place for same. In addition to that, TEC has no direct involvement with the routine activities of the broadcasting sector, it will be able to act as an independent accreditor.

Times Network also feels that changes are needed. “We feel that there is a need to define a standardised technical framework for CAS/ SMS systems to benchmark the minimum requirements of the system before these can be deployed by any DPO in India. The deployment of CAS/ SMS systems is suggested to be based on advanced embedded system backed by mandatory tests and necessary. CAS must comply with CSA-2 or CSA-3 standards of scrambling algorithm and embedded in SoC (“Security on Chip”) in STB,” it said.

It has also highlighted that the standards should be made keeping in mind that these are at par with global standards and are also useful from middleware perspective. It added that there may be a specific SOC for CAS TO minimise the chances of hacking. It should be endeavoured that no sub-standard systems can be deployed.

“We feel that an independent, autonomous, neutral body should be set up for defining the framework for CAS and SMS in India. The autonomous body may be set up by representatives of broadcasters, DPOs, CAS and SMS vendors, technology vendors, manufacturer or importers of devices, representatives of R&D Centres, members of regulatory bodies etc. who can be assisted by trained investigators, legal and law enforcement members, cryptography analysts and system/network security auditors,” the broadcaster added.

Echoing the tone of Zeel, Times added that the autonomous body should take into consideration global best practices and standards while proposing and suggesting the framework or technical standards for India.

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) is also of the opinion that there is an urgent need to define a framework for CAS and SMS/Systems to benchmark the requirements of the systems due to the reasons as stated in the foregoing clauses. Such new frameworks should be effective for all the existing systems as well.

“We firmly believe that this would also help protection of content, removal of rampant piracy and under-declaration of subscriber base and enhancement of consumer choices and experience thereby benefiting all the stakeholders. Hence the urgency to create a framework that would look at resolving the issues as raised herein. Further, the CAS and SMS vendors supplying their systems to the DPOs within India should also be mandated to follow the Schedule III requirements read with the TRAI regulations strictly and they should be made accountable for the same,” it added.

SPN has also proposed an independent industry body comprising mainly the technical members from all the stakeholders including government, broadcasters, DPO and the OEMs to define a framework for the concerned issue in the country. The task of this body should be to primarily define and set the framework for CAS and SMS/Systems, which should be a benchmark for future deployments.

“A standardised framework is required for CAS/SMS systems to benchmark the minimum requirements of the systems before it can be deployed by any DPO in India. Unsecured CAS/SMS system may lead to theft of broadcaster’s content and cause loss to the public exchequer. Substandard CAS/SMS system also impacts the performance of STBs thereby leading to unnecessary harassment of end-users,” TV18 stated.

Like its competitors, the broadcaster reiterated that industry body comprising of stakeholders from every level of the value chain should be entrusted with the task of defining the framework for CAS and SMS in India and that an industry-led body is best-suited solution that ought to be considered for the same.

“The industry body, thus, incorporated should take into consideration the framework adopted worldwide such as Movie Labs, IBCAP, DVB, etc. while defining the framework for India. However, it is necessary that DPOs, as well as CAS and SMS vendors, are made amenable to the Industry Body. In this regard, requirements such as, mandating CAS and SMS vendors to register as other service providers should be introduced,” it added.

June 9, 2020
TRAI’s consultation: DPOs favour defined CAS/SMS framework; Tata Sky, Airtel, IMCL differ

MUMBAI: Conditional access system (CAS) and subscriber management systems (SMS) are two key pillars of delivering broadcast services in a secured and encrypted manner to authorised subscribers. However, existing technical requirements for CAS and SMS are generic in nature allowing all type of CAS and SMS systems to exist in the eco-system. Piracy in the distribution of signals occurs due to the deployment of CAS or SMS that do not comply with security protocols as per extant standards. Hence, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued a consultation paper seeking comments on CAS and SMS.

In response to the consultation paper, most major distribution platform operators (DPOs) have agreed that there is a need to define a framework for CAS/SMS systems to benchmark the minimum requirements of the system before these can be deployed by any DPO.

Siti Networks has strongly agreed to the need of a framework commenting, “It has been observed that SMS and CAS vendors demand exorbitant amount for upgradation of their CAS/SMS according to the mandatory requirements of the regulations and the service providers does not have any option other than agree to their blackmailing due to the compliance requirement. Any such statutory upgradation in the system should not be burdened on the service providers.”

Another major MSO, DEN Networks, also thinks that defining the framework for benchmarking the CAS or SMS will help DPOs to choose the right solution. There are various factors in CAS which differs from vendor to vendor as they use proprietary solutions to address the content security.

GTPL Hathway also reflects the same tone as it says there is certainly an urgent need to define a framework for CAS/SMS systems. It adds that currently all CAS/SMS systems largely vary in terms of both security features and performance features.

“Under the appliable regulations, DPOs are mandated to grant their customers a free choice to make their own package(s). However, it is pertinent to mention that most CAS available in the market have an upper limit to the number of packages in which the same service/channel can be repeated. Therefore, it is necessary that CAS should be able to be upgraded for offering all services and combinations thereof, available on such platform. Availability of full technical local support in India. Almost all CAS vendors have their experts based out-of-India which may affect DPO’s QoS as the availability of off-shore resources may sometime take time as they help remotely,” it adds.

Among the DTH platforms, Dish TV also voiced for a comprehensive framework for CAS/SMS system especially for the requirement of end-to-end content protection and transparency in business for the CAS side and an end-to-end business enablement from the SMS side. It has also recommended an operating model wherein the DPO should have direct contract with each stack-holder viz. CAS service provider, SoC/Chipset maker, middleware, security element provider and STB maker wherein the CAS vendor will be as one of stack holder in entire echo system like others.

However, Tata Sky holds a different view. According to the operator, it may be premature to assume that the CAS or SMS systems require benchmarking right now. It adds that existing audits could be successful in identifying the systematic gaps which would force those specific DPOs to upgrade their systems to continue to receive signals from the broadcasters.

“We would need to be careful that a new and stringent regulation does not get misused to disenfranchise a large number of DPOs thus leading to another round of subscriber shock and dissatisfaction. If it is still concluded that a framework for benchmarking of the system needs to be created, then it should be arrived at by a multi stake holder consensus approach,” it adds.

Airtel, which also runs a sizable DTH business, states that the basic and minimum requirements of CAS/SMS are well captured in Schedule III of TRAI regulation. It adds that CAS /SMS being a globally deployed technology, innovations are a constant feature.

"To start with, Airtel believes that TRAI can continue to use Schedule III requirements for the CAS /SMS while adding more features to it at regular intervals to make it more robust and to accommodate new innovations in the technology. Hence, there is no need for defining or introducing a new CAS /SMS framework. The requirements listed in Schedule III should be benchmarked as the minimum qualifying requirements for all CAS /SMS solutions operating in India as well as for all future deployment of CAS/SMS by a new DPO,” it states.

While most MSOs are in favour of a framework, IMCL holds same opinion as Tata Sky and Airtel. “We believe that subject to the CAS/SMS/STB meeting the requirements specified in Schedule III, there is no need for any further assessment or benchmarking of products required in order for DPOs to deploy them within their networks. At most the regulator can “recommend” some preferred products, but there should not be any limit to DPOs being able to purchase or even build their own solutions subject to the requirements specified in Schedule III being met,” it comments.

IMCL also highlights that migrating to a new SMS platform as selected by TRAI would result in heavy costs being incurred, customisations having to be re-built into any new platform and large migration exercises to move customers to the new platform. Hence, its portals or mobile applications that are built to support LCOs, MSOs, subscribers and engineering staff would all need to be re-built in order to work with a new SMS platform. This change will result in essentially re-building the business from scratch taking away the business from other revenue-generating activities.

June 8, 2020
Airtel ecstatic about home broadband opportunity; collab with local cable operators paying well

MUMBAI: A recent report by Fitch which indicates a slow revenue growth in FY21 for telecom players might be bad news for Airtel, which is already losing market shares to Jio. But its home broadband business is gradually taking off. In the last quarter of FY 20, the telco operator added almost 60,000-65,000 net additions, one of the highest numbers it has seen in many quarters. Moreover, the lockdown has boosted the demand for home broadband.

“We are excited about the home broadband opportunity. I think India is an underserved market and there is a very big opportunity to expand broadband on a structural basis. Having said that, I think what we have seen in the recent few weeks is a massive surge in latent demand and home broadband,” Bharti Airtel India and South Asia managing director and chief executive officer Gopal Vittal said in an earnings call.

Vittal also spoke about an innovative model that it is experimenting with: collaborating with local cable operators to provide the last mile and using a digital model to access more cities and expand the scale of its broadband business. While the model has already been rolled out in 13 cities, he claims it has seen good traction reinforcing its trust on opportunities for broadband internal expansion.

Talking about the strategy, Vittal added that they need to expand a lot more in top ten cities at first. Hence, there will be some step-up in capex directed to expanding Airtel’s broadband in these large cities. Airtel rolled out over 250,000 home parcels in the last quarter while total capex for the quarter stood at Rs 97 crore.

“The second part is going beyond 10 cities or 50 cities. We got into smaller cities. For example, we have gone into Jammu, Dehradun, Bareilly, and Nasik. These are cities where we hadn't gone before and now have partnered with local cable operators and created an Uber-like model, which is entirely digital and gives them a share of revenue and this is actually working quite well,” Vittal said.

“We are unleashing entrepreneurial energy of these cable operators, in managing the last mile for us, and at the same time, we have the Airtel brand, customer support, billing systems, technology and of course the purchase of routers and all of the other backend equipment coupled with the fact that we have fibre availability at the towers for which the backhaul is available. So I think we are using the best of both worlds to actually partner and expand,” he added further.

According to TRAI data, the top five wired broadband service providers were BSNL (8.23 million), Bharti Airtel (2.43 million), Atria Convergence Technologies (1.54 million), Hathway Cable & Datacom (0.92 million) and Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd (0.84 million) as on 31 January, 2020.

Bharti Airtel India and South Asia chief financial officer Badal Bagri said that affordability has been one of the key drivers which he terms war on waste. This ‘war on waste’ is not just about operating expenses but also about efficiency and capital expenditure. He also mentioned that Airtel’s cost of the rollout of home passes has substantially reduced over the last two-three years. Hence, he is of the view that the cost structures which it operates in are fairly affordable, enabling them for an aggressive bid in the sector.

June 5, 2020
TRAI invites proposals for empanelment of auditors to carry DAS audit

MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has invited proposals from audit firms for empanelment in the panel of Auditors to carry out the audit of digital addressable systems.

The audit agency shall meet the following eligibility conditions for empanelment in the panel of Auditors:

1. It shall be a company registered under the Companies Act 2013, OR an LLP under the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008 or a registered Partnership Firm under the Partnership Act, 1932, OR a proprietorship firm registered with ICAI as an audit firm;

2. It shall have a minimum average annual turnover of Rs 50 lakh in the immediate two preceding financial years for national level empanelment or for more than one regional level empanelment or Rs 25 lakh in the immediate two preceding financial years for empanelment in only one regional area;

3. It shall have experience, either on its own or through any of its partner/employee of (i) at least one year in the audit of Digital Addressable System (DAS) [Subscriber Management System (SMS)/ Conditional Access System (CAS)] (technical and/or subscription) of distributors; or (ii) at least one year in the audit of billing and metering and/or payment and prepaid charging system involving the use of software tools and/or banking IT system;

4. It shall have at least three full-time professionals from among Chartered Accountant (CA)/ Company Secretary (CS)/Cost Accountant (CoA)/ Graduate Engineer, and at least one of the three professionals should be a Chartered Accountant (CA)/ Company Secretary (CS)/Cost Accountant (CoA). Such professionals should be full time partners or employees working with the Audit Agency since at-least six months prior to the date of application;

5. The company/ LLP/ firm or any of its professional shall not have been disqualified or blacklisted by any department of State Government/Central Government or any Bank or Financial Institution or any statutory body or any professional body. Further, the Company/ LLP/ firm or any of its professional should not have been held guilty of criminal misconduct at any point of time

6. The applicant should be well-versed with the broadcasting and distribution industry and shall be proficient in understanding the network head-end setup, customer and system lifecycle knowledge and integration of customer details in SMS and CAS

7. The applicant should be independent of broadcasting service providers and should not have any direct or indirect involvement or interest in the design, construction, operation or maintenance of software such as CAS/SMS/Middleware/Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) or hardware/electronic devices used in digital addressable systems of a service provider. Further, neither any director/ partner/ key managerial personnel of the applicant firm nor its any audit personnel should have held in last one year or should be currently holding the similar position in the company which is involved in the business of broadcasting and distribution activities.

The empanelment process shall be continuous and henceforth may be carried out on monthly basis i.e. a proposal may be submitted by last working day of a month for the next round of empanelment. An applicant shall apply only once till TRAI informs it about acceptance/rejection of its proposal. TRAI shall inform all the applicants whether they have been empanelled or their application has been rejected. An applicant once rejected shall not be eligible to re-apply for 12 months from the date of intimation of such rejection.

June 2, 2020
I&B ministry recommends 5% cap on DTH platform services; TRAI stays firm at 3%

MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is firm on its position to cap the number of platform services (PS) by DTH platforms to three per cent subject to a maximum of 15 channels. This comes in the wake of the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) recommending a five per cent cap with no channel limits.

The MIB sent a letter to the regulatory body on 13 May approving TRAI’s recommendations on platform services offered by DTH platforms with modifications. The inter-ministerial committee suggested that the cap be increased to five per cent of its total channel carrying capacity without any limit on the maximum number of PS channels.

TRAI was of the view that since DTH operators have a limited channel carrying capacity and with the availability of a huge number of permitted satellite TV channels (900+) in all regional languages and genres, there is no pressing requirement for a large number of PS channels. Further, DTH operators are primarily carriers of the content produced by broadcasters; not content producers.

“An upper limit of 15 channels is also important so that even if the channel carrying capacity gets increased in future, it should be given to broadcasters who are waiting for the channel capacity. As broadcasters are not permitted to reach to consumers directly, they are dependent only on the distributors. Allowing more channels as PS will put an artificial restriction on the broadcasters to launch new channels and in turn, they will be discouraged to bring new channels in the sector which will adversely affect the public interest at large,” it added.

TRAI mentioned that since DTH operators have pan India presence by the virtue of technology
and availability of satellite footprint, they don't have to cater to the requirements of any local audience or a particular demography. PS are generally meant for MSOs to carry some local community interest programme.

With regard to allowing more PS channels to DTH operators, TRAI said that the operators will block a large capacity for their own use which can seriously jeopardise the availability of slots not only for new broadcasters but also for government mandatory channels.

TRAI had also recommended that the programme transmitted by the DTH operator as a platform service shall be exclusive and should not be shared directly or indirectly with any other distribution platform operator (DPO). In case of violation both TRAI or MIB can send notices, but the ministry wants to restrict this power to itself. However, TRAI had said that the MIB reserves the right for cancellation of registration of such PS of the DTH operator.

The authority has reiterated its earlier recommendation for this clause as well citing the need for consistency between the TRAI act and DTH licence requirements.

The industry watchdog also recommended that the DTH operator shall be bound by orders/ directions/regulations issued by it in respect of DTH services including platform services provided by the operator. In response, the committee recommended that the issues pertaining to DTH licences should be regulated by the MIB. However, it may be desirable that DTH operators may also abide by orders/directions/regulations of TRAI issued by TRAI from time to time relating to interconnection agreement/ tariff/quality of service.

To this, TRAI said, “MIB should not put any artificial restriction in the license condition. It is essential that DTH guidelines should have one overarching clause clearly stating that the DTH operator shall be bound by orders/ directions/regulations issued by TRAI in respect of DTH services…It is very important that the DTH license should have an explicit provision that the DTH operator shall be bound by orders/directions/regulations issued by TRAI in respect of DTH services including platform services provided by the operator," it added. The regulator cited several court cases by which it has been given approvals to ensure regulations for the whole DTH sector.

May 27, 2020
TRAI extends dates for consultation paper on CAS, SMS for cable services

MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has extended the time for submission of comments on consultation paper on “Framework for technical compliance of conditional access system (CAS) and subscriber management systems (SMS) for broadcasting & cable services” from stakeholders/industry associations up to 3 June 2020 and for counter-comments up to 17 June.

No further requests for extension would be considered.

TRAI had invited comments/counter-comments of stakeholders on 22 April 2020. The last date for receiving written comments and counter-comments were fixed as 20 May 2020 and 3 June 2020, respectively.

The comments/counter-comments may be sent, preferably in electronic form to advbcs-2@trai.gov.in or jadvisor-bcs@trai.gov.in, said Trai secretary SK Gupta in release.

May 20, 2020
Broadband to become a fundamental human right: TRAI chairman

MUMBAI: Broadband will become a fundamental human right and it will be difficult to imagine life without broadband connectivity, said Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (tRAI) chairman R S Sharma. He was speaking at a virtual conference organised by Broadband India Forum.

He said that it is time to make investment to boost fixed-line broadband so as to support areas such as education, work from home, etc. While it is a fact that the country has achieved a lot in mobile, we still have a long way to go in the field of fixed-line broadband. It is essential to give reliable connectivity, he said, adding that what lies ahead is a digital future. Connectivity is an area of paramount importance.

Many things like the role of technology that the Covid2019 pandemic has taught the country will become permanent, and they will be good for the country, he said, adding that in the changing context TRAI will approach all the regulations with a new perspective.

He said that what this crisis has taught us will become permanent in this country; it will be actually good for us. “I believe digital transaction is always better because it is cost-effective, environment-friendly, instantaneous, frugal, and last but not the least it is contactless."

He said that after the pandemic broke out, people depended on IT and communication technology much more than physical infrastructure such as road, rail, or air transports.

Work-from-home has become a norm and it will remain so in the immediate future. We are going to see tele-medicine, e-commerce, etc. Schools have started teaching students from home, Sharma said.

He added that we have to live in a world with minimal human contact all the while enabling economic growth and socialising.

Department of Telecom joint secretary Hari Ranjan Rao informed that efforts are going on to implement a national optic fibre map so that investors can decide where they want to invest and build capacities.

May 17, 2020
NBF seeks members’ view on uplinking/downlinking submission

MUMBAI: The News Broadcasters Federation (NBF) secretariat has requested all its members to take a collective view on its submission to the ministry of information and broadcasting on its uplinking/downlinking policy for private television channels and teleport operators. The initial deadline set is 15 May, 2020.

The NBF secretariat has already reviewed the submissions made by some of its member-channels to TRAI during the consultation process in this regard as well.

The ministry drafted new policy guidelines for uplinking and downlinking of television channels in view of the fact that broadcasting technology and the market scenario have gone through a major change in this decade. The last guidelines for uplinking and downlinking of satellite television channels were issued by the ministry in 2011. MIB has drafted the suggestions after consulting with stakeholders and has also invited comments on the draft from them within 15 days from the date of the issue of the guidelines.

May 13, 2020