ITV

Tag: Trai

  • TRAI’s CDR idea rejected; Govt to look into Rs 3050 cr penalty

    TRAI’s CDR idea rejected; Govt to look into Rs 3050 cr penalty

    MUMBAI: The telecom ministry has formed a committee to look into TRAI’s penalty suggestion on Vodafone, Airtel and Idea as they allegedly failed to provide sufficient inter-connect points (PoI) to Reliance Jio, leading to severe call drops.

    Telecom operators across GSM and CDMA platforms meantime turned down TRAI’s recommendation of computing call drop rates through a meta data analysis of CDRs (call detail records). This, TRAI asserted, has been designed for billing purpose only, and not for checking quality of service. Such an analysis, the operators said, would project a flawed picture as abnormal call disconnects/terminations could be triggered by handsets getting turned off due to other errors, or due to battery draining out or a subscriber moving to an underground building or a station.

    Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) represented the operators, the Economic Times reported.

    On the the hand, the union telecom minister Manoj Sinha said the ministry has formed the committee to look into the regulator’s recommendation on the proposed Rs 3,050 crore penalty, Business Standard reported. Last month, the regulator had proposed the penalty on the three telcos.

    Lately however Reliance Jio has been allegedly limiting all voice calls to 30 minutes. As a part of Jio’s free Welcome Offer, users were allowed unlimited voice calls. However, lately, the calls were being abruptly disconnected after a duration of 30 minutes, which is not an isolated case.

    The regulator had earlier sent a letter to the Department of Telecommunications recommending a charge of Rs 50 crore per circle for 21 service areas, except for Jammu & Kashmir, for Airtel and Vodafone. For Idea Cellular, TRAI suggested penalty for 19 circles.

    At the meeting of BRICS Ministers of Communications, Sinha said that the committee would give its considerations on the TRAI suggestion.

    The regulator’s suggestion came after Reliance Jio complained that more than 75 per cent of the calls on its network were dropping since the incumbent operators were not giving sufficient PoIs. The regulator stated that the incumbents went “against public interest.”

  • 137 GEC and news pay channels violated ad cap rule in second quarter

    137 GEC and news pay channels violated ad cap rule in second quarter

    NEW DELHI: Even as the ad cap case drags on with the government failing to take a firm stand either way, a total of 137 pay channels including 25 news and current affairs channels continued to violate the regulations for telecasting a maximum of 12 minutes of commercials per hour in the second quarter of the year.

    The report released today by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India for the period from 28 March to 2 June 2016 shows that the number of violators has remained almost the same as in the first quarter when the total was 133 between 28 December and 27 March.

    While there has been a very miniscule fall in the violators among news channels from 30 to 25, there is an increase in non-news channels from 103 as on 27 March to 112 as on 26 June.

    The average duration per hour of advertisements (commercial and self promotional) during peak hours (7pm‐10 PM) in pay news channels for the period 28 March to 26 June shows that the highest of these was by 21.95 minutes by ETV Rajasthan and the lowest was 12.01 minutes by Zee Telugu. Interestingly, the highest in the first quarter was also by ETV Rajasthan with 24.83 minutes. Times Now which had been at the bottom with 12.15 minutes in the first quarter does not even figure in the list of violators in the second quarter.

    Among pay non-news channels (general entertainment channels) for the same period, the highest was 24.54 minutes by B4U Movies (which had topped the list in the first quarter with 23.41 minutes and was also at the top in December last year) and the lowest was 12.03 minutes by Raj Digital Plus. Odisha TV’s Tarang which had been at the bottom in the first quarter increased its ad time to 12.22 minutes.

    There are at least 16 news and 30 non-news channels clocking more than 15 minutes per hour. While the number of news channels was the same in the first quarter, the number of GECs has risen from 24.

    TRAI has made it clear that “the information is based on the data submitted by the broadcasters and TRAI bears no responsibility for correctness. As per information available with TRAI, the rest of the pay news and non-news channels are carrying less than 12 minutes of average duration per hour of advertisements (commercial & self promotional) during peak hours (7PM – 10 pm).”

    Asking TRAI not to take any coercive action against any channel pending hearing of the case in the first hearing over two years earlier, the Delhi High Court had asked all channels and TRAI to keep a record of the advertising time consumed including commercials.

    The petition had been filed by the News Broadcasters Association and some channels challenging the TRAI decision to implement the directive of 12 minutes contained in the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995. The Information and Broadcasting Ministry and TRAI are the respondents in the petition.

    After the Information and Broadcasting Ministry told the Court on 27 November 2015 that it was discussing the issue with broadcasters, the matter was put off several times. In the 11 February hearing, Discovery Communications moved for intervention while Home Cable sought early hearing.

    In its intervention, MSO Home Cable Network (P) Ltd said it wanted to intervene as it was directly affected by the outcome of the present petition. It wanted the NBA petition to be dismissed and added: “The Pay channel broadcasters are profiteering at the expense of subscribers and the DPOs. There is no justification for changing monthly subscription when commercial advertisements are inserted. The Standards of Quality of Service (Digital Addressable Cable TV Systems) Regulations 2012 (with Amendments thereafter) is justified to the extent they are applicable to pay channels. The pay channel broadcasters cannot charge the subscription fee while inserting commercials into the content or in the alternative, the subscribers have to be compensated for the revenue earned on the basis of their being subscribers of the channels.”

    In the petition, the news channels made the plea that most of them are free to air and therefore do not get any subscription fee from the viewers as the GEC channels do.

  • 137 GEC and news pay channels violated ad cap rule in second quarter

    137 GEC and news pay channels violated ad cap rule in second quarter

    NEW DELHI: Even as the ad cap case drags on with the government failing to take a firm stand either way, a total of 137 pay channels including 25 news and current affairs channels continued to violate the regulations for telecasting a maximum of 12 minutes of commercials per hour in the second quarter of the year.

    The report released today by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India for the period from 28 March to 2 June 2016 shows that the number of violators has remained almost the same as in the first quarter when the total was 133 between 28 December and 27 March.

    While there has been a very miniscule fall in the violators among news channels from 30 to 25, there is an increase in non-news channels from 103 as on 27 March to 112 as on 26 June.

    The average duration per hour of advertisements (commercial and self promotional) during peak hours (7pm‐10 PM) in pay news channels for the period 28 March to 26 June shows that the highest of these was by 21.95 minutes by ETV Rajasthan and the lowest was 12.01 minutes by Zee Telugu. Interestingly, the highest in the first quarter was also by ETV Rajasthan with 24.83 minutes. Times Now which had been at the bottom with 12.15 minutes in the first quarter does not even figure in the list of violators in the second quarter.

    Among pay non-news channels (general entertainment channels) for the same period, the highest was 24.54 minutes by B4U Movies (which had topped the list in the first quarter with 23.41 minutes and was also at the top in December last year) and the lowest was 12.03 minutes by Raj Digital Plus. Odisha TV’s Tarang which had been at the bottom in the first quarter increased its ad time to 12.22 minutes.

    There are at least 16 news and 30 non-news channels clocking more than 15 minutes per hour. While the number of news channels was the same in the first quarter, the number of GECs has risen from 24.

    TRAI has made it clear that “the information is based on the data submitted by the broadcasters and TRAI bears no responsibility for correctness. As per information available with TRAI, the rest of the pay news and non-news channels are carrying less than 12 minutes of average duration per hour of advertisements (commercial & self promotional) during peak hours (7PM – 10 pm).”

    Asking TRAI not to take any coercive action against any channel pending hearing of the case in the first hearing over two years earlier, the Delhi High Court had asked all channels and TRAI to keep a record of the advertising time consumed including commercials.

    The petition had been filed by the News Broadcasters Association and some channels challenging the TRAI decision to implement the directive of 12 minutes contained in the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995. The Information and Broadcasting Ministry and TRAI are the respondents in the petition.

    After the Information and Broadcasting Ministry told the Court on 27 November 2015 that it was discussing the issue with broadcasters, the matter was put off several times. In the 11 February hearing, Discovery Communications moved for intervention while Home Cable sought early hearing.

    In its intervention, MSO Home Cable Network (P) Ltd said it wanted to intervene as it was directly affected by the outcome of the present petition. It wanted the NBA petition to be dismissed and added: “The Pay channel broadcasters are profiteering at the expense of subscribers and the DPOs. There is no justification for changing monthly subscription when commercial advertisements are inserted. The Standards of Quality of Service (Digital Addressable Cable TV Systems) Regulations 2012 (with Amendments thereafter) is justified to the extent they are applicable to pay channels. The pay channel broadcasters cannot charge the subscription fee while inserting commercials into the content or in the alternative, the subscribers have to be compensated for the revenue earned on the basis of their being subscribers of the channels.”

    In the petition, the news channels made the plea that most of them are free to air and therefore do not get any subscription fee from the viewers as the GEC channels do.

  • Arasu says MIB can’t enforce analogue switchoff in Chennai on 31 Dec ’16

    Arasu says MIB can’t enforce analogue switchoff in Chennai on 31 Dec ’16

    MUMBAI: Digital addressable system (DAS) or digitisation of India cable TV could well see a further slowdown if the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation Ltd (TACTV) has its way. The government-owned Chennai-based MSO has written to the information and broadcasting ministry (MIB) saying that its order to broadcasters to shut off analogue signals by 31 December 2016 cannot be adhered to for the city.

    The reason: the Madras High Court has yet to pass judgment on TACTV’s litigation with the MIB and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on the applicability of DAS regulations in Chennai and on the issue of a DAS licence to it.

    TACTV had earlier applied to the MIB for a DAS licence but not met with any success as both it and the TRAI believe that distribution of television via cable TV should be kept out of the purview of government owned undertakings, which the former is.

    Following the rejection of its application, the cable TV MSO had approached the Madras High Court through two writ petitions bearing nos. 7067/2013 and 7068/2013. Both had sought direction to the MIB to process its DAS licence applications dated 5 July 2012, and 23 November 2012. But both are pending before the court.

    The Madras High Court had then passed a restraining order on writ petitions 34213/2013 and 40365 of 2015, disallowing the disconnection of analogue TV signals in Chennai.

    TACTV says that if broadcasters heed the 31 December 2016 analogue signal switch off notification sent by the MIB to them, it would tantamount to contempt of court and could attract proceedings in that direction.

    The cable TV MSO says that the “MIB had itself admitted as much in a counter affidavit dated November 18, 2013 filed before the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT).”

    TRAI had through a press release on 10 December 2013 termed the transmission of analogue signals in Chennai as illegal and had tried to restrain TACTV from transmitting the same.

  • Arasu says MIB can’t enforce analogue switchoff in Chennai on 31 Dec ’16

    Arasu says MIB can’t enforce analogue switchoff in Chennai on 31 Dec ’16

    MUMBAI: Digital addressable system (DAS) or digitisation of India cable TV could well see a further slowdown if the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation Ltd (TACTV) has its way. The government-owned Chennai-based MSO has written to the information and broadcasting ministry (MIB) saying that its order to broadcasters to shut off analogue signals by 31 December 2016 cannot be adhered to for the city.

    The reason: the Madras High Court has yet to pass judgment on TACTV’s litigation with the MIB and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on the applicability of DAS regulations in Chennai and on the issue of a DAS licence to it.

    TACTV had earlier applied to the MIB for a DAS licence but not met with any success as both it and the TRAI believe that distribution of television via cable TV should be kept out of the purview of government owned undertakings, which the former is.

    Following the rejection of its application, the cable TV MSO had approached the Madras High Court through two writ petitions bearing nos. 7067/2013 and 7068/2013. Both had sought direction to the MIB to process its DAS licence applications dated 5 July 2012, and 23 November 2012. But both are pending before the court.

    The Madras High Court had then passed a restraining order on writ petitions 34213/2013 and 40365 of 2015, disallowing the disconnection of analogue TV signals in Chennai.

    TACTV says that if broadcasters heed the 31 December 2016 analogue signal switch off notification sent by the MIB to them, it would tantamount to contempt of court and could attract proceedings in that direction.

    The cable TV MSO says that the “MIB had itself admitted as much in a counter affidavit dated November 18, 2013 filed before the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT).”

    TRAI had through a press release on 10 December 2013 termed the transmission of analogue signals in Chennai as illegal and had tried to restrain TACTV from transmitting the same.

  • Jio 4G to erect 45,000 towers; more the merrier, says COAI

    Jio 4G to erect 45,000 towers; more the merrier, says COAI

    MUMBAI: Late entrant telecom operator Reliance Jio will erect around 45,000 mobile towers in the next six months to boost its 4G network.

    Telecom lobbying body COAI meanwhile stated that it has established around 129,101 base transceiver stations (BTSs) across India to tackle call drops on networks.

    Reliance Jio in meeting with the telecom minister Manoj Sinha has committed to erect 45,000 crore mobile towers in six months to further strengthen its network. The company has said that it has plans to invest Rs 1 lakh crore over a period of four years and the new towers are part of this investment, PTI has reported.

    Reliance Jio reportedly informed Sinha that it has already invested Rs 1.6 lakh crore in the networks and installed 2.82 lakh base stations across India covering 18,000 cities and two lakh villages.

    Jio said that it has made all efforts to provide good consumer experience but non-availability of point of interconnection from Airtel, Vodafone and Idea has led to high call failure rate on its network. Sinha then directed the telecom operators to resolve PoI issue among themselves at the earliest.

    Telecom regulator TRAI had recommended Rs 3,050 crore penalty on Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular holding them responsible for congestion in RJIL network. TRAI chairman RS Sharma has asked the incumbent operators to mutually resolve interconnection issue at the earliest and warned action against those found liable for poor service quality benchmark around network congestion, call drop etc.

    Consisting largely of India’s GSM operators, COAI members are said to have invested Rs 12,000 crore for installing these BTSs. The 100-day-plan to install BTSs was reportedly completed last month. TRAI’s Independent Drive Tests (IDTs) conducted between December 2015 and January 2016 revealed that call drop rates in cities like Mumbai, Pune, Delhi were much above the permissible limits. The limits are set at 2% by the regulator.

  • Jio 4G to erect 45,000 towers; more the merrier, says COAI

    Jio 4G to erect 45,000 towers; more the merrier, says COAI

    MUMBAI: Late entrant telecom operator Reliance Jio will erect around 45,000 mobile towers in the next six months to boost its 4G network.

    Telecom lobbying body COAI meanwhile stated that it has established around 129,101 base transceiver stations (BTSs) across India to tackle call drops on networks.

    Reliance Jio in meeting with the telecom minister Manoj Sinha has committed to erect 45,000 crore mobile towers in six months to further strengthen its network. The company has said that it has plans to invest Rs 1 lakh crore over a period of four years and the new towers are part of this investment, PTI has reported.

    Reliance Jio reportedly informed Sinha that it has already invested Rs 1.6 lakh crore in the networks and installed 2.82 lakh base stations across India covering 18,000 cities and two lakh villages.

    Jio said that it has made all efforts to provide good consumer experience but non-availability of point of interconnection from Airtel, Vodafone and Idea has led to high call failure rate on its network. Sinha then directed the telecom operators to resolve PoI issue among themselves at the earliest.

    Telecom regulator TRAI had recommended Rs 3,050 crore penalty on Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular holding them responsible for congestion in RJIL network. TRAI chairman RS Sharma has asked the incumbent operators to mutually resolve interconnection issue at the earliest and warned action against those found liable for poor service quality benchmark around network congestion, call drop etc.

    Consisting largely of India’s GSM operators, COAI members are said to have invested Rs 12,000 crore for installing these BTSs. The 100-day-plan to install BTSs was reportedly completed last month. TRAI’s Independent Drive Tests (IDTs) conducted between December 2015 and January 2016 revealed that call drop rates in cities like Mumbai, Pune, Delhi were much above the permissible limits. The limits are set at 2% by the regulator.

  • TRAI issues direction on broadband definition

    TRAI issues direction on broadband definition

    NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has directed all telecom service providers providing broadband (wire-line or wireless) services to provide certain services in respect of all broadband tariff plans offered under Fair Usage Policy on their websites and advertisements in view of the broader definition of Broadband as directed by the Department of Telecom.

    The Department in a notification of 18 July 2013 had amended the definition of broadband, saying: “Broadband is a data connection that is able to support interactive services including Internet access and has the capability of the minimum download speed of 512 kbps to an individual subscriber from the point of presence (POP) of the service provider intending to provide Broadband service.”

    The information, which must be published in all advertisements published through any media, in respect of all broadband tariff plans offered under Fair Usage Policy will mention for Fixed broadband service:

    1. Data usage limit with specified speed;

    2. Speed of broadband connection up to specified data usage limit; and speed of broadband connection beyond data usage limit;

    For Mobile broadband service:

    1. Data usage limit with specified Primary technology (3G/4G) for providing data services;

    2. Speed offered for providing data services beyond data usage limit;

    3. provide information specified in para (a) above to both new and existing subscribers on their registered email address and through SMS on their mobile number registered with the service provider, as opted by consumer;

    4. ensure that download speed of broadband service provided to the fixed broadband subscriber is not reduced below minimum download speed for broadband as defined by the DoT from time to time in any Fair usage broadband tariff plan after expiry of assigned data quota of consumers;

    5. Provide alert to the subscriber through SMS on his registered Mobile Number or to his registered e-mail address each time when his data usage reaches fifty, ninety and hundred percent of the data usage limit under his plan. TSP should also maintain a portal/website so that user can access his usage at any point of time.

    The TRAI direction is in supersession of its earlier direction of 27 July 2012. The new direction has been issued in exercise of the powers conferred upon it under section 13, read with Section 11(1)(b). of the TRAI Act 1997 and in order to ensure transparency in delivery of internet and broadband services and to protect interests of consumers of the telecom sector and to facilitate further growth of internet and broadband services in India.

  • TRAI issues direction on broadband definition

    TRAI issues direction on broadband definition

    NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has directed all telecom service providers providing broadband (wire-line or wireless) services to provide certain services in respect of all broadband tariff plans offered under Fair Usage Policy on their websites and advertisements in view of the broader definition of Broadband as directed by the Department of Telecom.

    The Department in a notification of 18 July 2013 had amended the definition of broadband, saying: “Broadband is a data connection that is able to support interactive services including Internet access and has the capability of the minimum download speed of 512 kbps to an individual subscriber from the point of presence (POP) of the service provider intending to provide Broadband service.”

    The information, which must be published in all advertisements published through any media, in respect of all broadband tariff plans offered under Fair Usage Policy will mention for Fixed broadband service:

    1. Data usage limit with specified speed;

    2. Speed of broadband connection up to specified data usage limit; and speed of broadband connection beyond data usage limit;

    For Mobile broadband service:

    1. Data usage limit with specified Primary technology (3G/4G) for providing data services;

    2. Speed offered for providing data services beyond data usage limit;

    3. provide information specified in para (a) above to both new and existing subscribers on their registered email address and through SMS on their mobile number registered with the service provider, as opted by consumer;

    4. ensure that download speed of broadband service provided to the fixed broadband subscriber is not reduced below minimum download speed for broadband as defined by the DoT from time to time in any Fair usage broadband tariff plan after expiry of assigned data quota of consumers;

    5. Provide alert to the subscriber through SMS on his registered Mobile Number or to his registered e-mail address each time when his data usage reaches fifty, ninety and hundred percent of the data usage limit under his plan. TSP should also maintain a portal/website so that user can access his usage at any point of time.

    The TRAI direction is in supersession of its earlier direction of 27 July 2012. The new direction has been issued in exercise of the powers conferred upon it under section 13, read with Section 11(1)(b). of the TRAI Act 1997 and in order to ensure transparency in delivery of internet and broadband services and to protect interests of consumers of the telecom sector and to facilitate further growth of internet and broadband services in India.

  • TRAI to review terms for captive VSAT licences

    TRAI to review terms for captive VSAT licences

    MUMBAI: Telecom regulatory authority TRAI has started a comprehensive review of various fee and charges related to captive VSAT (very small aperture terminal) licences, including entry fee, licence fee, bank guarantee and royalty charges.

    VSAT, a satellite communication technology, is useful for remote and inaccessible locations which lack proper terrestrial connectivity, PTI has reported.

    The consultation paper “Captive VSAT CUG (Closed User Group) policy issues” also seeks to remove the difference in licence fee for operating two hubs (earth stations that control and monitor activities of remote terminals).

    “Is there a need to review some or all of the fee or charges viz. Entry fee, licence fee, royalty charges and bank guarantee etc. For captive VSAT CUG licenses…If yes, what should be the appropriate fee or charges,” TRAI asked in the consultation paper.

    ‘Captive VSAT Licence’ refers to licence for those networks in which the equipment and facilities are owned and operated by the licensee itself for its own use under one Closed User Group (CUG). The Captive VSATs are deployed by commercial organisations like National Thermal Power Corporation, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, as well as government bodies to cater to their own requirement and applications.

    The TRAI paper has also sought industry views on whether licence fee for a second VSAT hub, (being used independently or for redundancy purposes) should be the same as the first VSAT hub, and also the quantum of per annum fee for the second hub. The deadline for sending written comments is November 25, 2016.

    At present, the licence fee stands at Rs 10,000 per annum per VSAT earth stations installed, in case of the first hub. But in case the licensee wants to put second hub for geographical redundancy or, say, operational diversity and if that second hub station remains commissioned, a minimum license fee of Rs 16 Lakh per annum for up to 100 captive VSATs is applicable in addition to the license fee payable for the first hub.

    “…Due to such a huge difference in the license fee, a licensee is discouraged in installing a second hub…Even though their operations demand so for maintaining a hot standby,” TRAI said.

    TRAI has also asked if the captive VSAT categories should be split into Government oganisations and departments handling important missions, and commercial organisations.

    It also sought industry’s opinion on the entry fee, licence fee and royalty charges for the two categories, if separated, and whether the proposed rates for not for profit government organizations should be at a discount compared to business organisations.