TRAI Gives a Month to Consumers to Choose Channels Under New Regulatory Regime

TRAI Gives a Month to Consumers to Choose Channels Under New Regulatory Regime 

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on Friday gave time till January 31 for customers to choose stations of their decision under the new framework for broadcasting and cable services and said all existing packs of subscribers will continue uninterrupted till at that point. 

The TRAI, in March 2017, had told the new regulatory framework for Broadcasting and Cable services and re-advised it on July 3, 2018, recommending the implementation plan. As indicated by the implementation plan, all the service providers were required to finish the readiness for relocation to the new framework by December 28, 2018, as the new framework will come into power the following day. 

So as to encourage all service providers to move their subscribers from old to the new framework without causing bother, TRAI, after counsels with telecasters, DTH administrators, and MSOs (multi-framework administrators), has given them more opportunity to look for choices from subscribers for smooth and interference-free relocations. 

"All existing packs/plans/bundles to the subscribers will continue uninterrupted till January 31, 2019. No service supplier to disengage any flag or feed to any MSO/LCO (neighborhood cable administrator)/supporter till January 2019," TRAI said in an announcement. 

Circulation stage administrators (DPOs) will devise their own component to connect with all the subscribers and look for alternatives from subscribers, it said. DPOs need to move all the subscribers to the new framework with impact from February 1, 2019, it said. 

So as to have a smooth implementation of the new regulatory framework that will become effective Saturday, TRAI held a progression of gatherings and counsels with all the stakeholders including Consumers Advocacy Groups (CAG) amid last 4 a month and a half, the announcement said. It was noted amid those talks that to make the customers mindful about the new framework and the way toward looking for the new decision of TV channels from around 150 million subscribers would require some time and assets of the service providers. 

"In this way, the Authority (TRAI) likewise held gatherings on December 19 and December 27 with different service providers of the broadcasting and cable services division. The readiness for movement of all subscribers from old to new framework was additionally evaluated," TRAI said. 

The Telecom controller said the issue of smooth movement from the old to new regulatory framework was specifically examined and it developed that, all around, most stakeholders are prepared for implementation of the new regulatory framework. TRAI said DPOs shall announce the Distributor Retail Price (DRP) and Network Capacity Fee (NCF) by December 29. 

The administration had said on Thursday that the new regulatory framework for broadcasting and cable services will give "opportunity of decision" and give buyers "coordinate control" on their month to month bill for TV services.