- Talks are on for recommending extension of the licence period of direct-to-home DTH operators for 20 years by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)
- TRAI has proposed reduce the fees to 8% of the adjusted gross revenue, sectorial regulator suggested onetime payment of Rs.10 crore for the DTH industry
- Vertically integrated broadcasters are entities which run TV channels as well as distribution platforms as MSO and DTH
- TRAI also will give liberty to DTH existing operators to “migrate to the new regime at any time during their currency of their existing licences’’, while the DTH pays 10% of their GR and telecom pays just 8% of their AGR
- TRAI has asked the Bureau of Indian Standards to update specifications for the set-top-boxes (STBs) in consultation with the regulator
- Henceforth there will be a uniformity in the sector, “Comprehensive definition of ‘control’ to be uniformly adopted in all segments of broadcasting and distribution sectors,”, TRAI
- Vertically integrated DPO cannot control any other DPO of other category in the relevant market and is not permitted to acquire more than 33% of market share
- Carriage fee charged by the DPO’s from broadcasters on the network should go with an access fee it should be on discriminatory basis, TRAI
- TRAI also has called for distinguish between the DTH and cable TV providers, Multi System Operators (MSOs) and Headend in the Sky (HITS)
- Read at: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-business/20year-licence-for-dth-operators-mooted/article6243429.ece