Trai bars broadcasters from hiking subscription fee

Panel to restrain operators from change in services

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has proposed to bar satellite channel broadcasters from increasing the subscription charges for the period a consumer makes payment for services in advance.

Circulating a consultation paper for introduction of a new set of regulations to ensure protection of the consumers, the regulator has also proposed for putting a cap on the charges that the broadcasters or local cable operators collect from the new subscribers for installation and activation of satellite channel services.

The Trai also wants to restrain distributors of television channels and local cable operators from making “any change” in the services subscribed by consumers, without obtaining a “verifiable request” from them. The distributors of the satellite television channels will have to maintain the records related to such request from the subscribers for a period of minimum six months from the date of receipt of such request, the telecom regulator has proposed.

“In case the charges for subscription of TV (television) broadcasting services are paid in advance for a specific period by a subscriber, the distributor of TV channels shall continue to provide such services for such period to such subscriber without any increase in the prices,” the regulator stipulated in draft regulations.

The Trai has placed the draft of the Standards of Quality of Service and Consumer Protection (Digital Addressable Systems) Regulations, 2016, in public domain for comments from the stakeholders.

“It shall be open to a distributor of TV channels or local cable operator, as the case may be, to charge an amount not exceeding Rs 350 as one time installation charge....an amount not exceeding Rs 100 as one time initial activation charge,” it stipulated. The regulator will close the consultation process and start giving final shape to the regulations after October 25.

“Every distributor of TV channels or local cable operator, as the case may be, shall provide the TV broadcasting services to the consumer within a period of seven days from the date of receipt of request from the applicant, subject to technical and operational feasibility,” the draft regulation said.