Broadcasters Delay TRAI NTO Implementation On Back of Interconnect Offer Filing

The National Tariff Order (NTO) post the latest Bombay ruling underwent a few more changes. As per the new rules, the broadcasters in the industry were required to publish their new prices and inform the same to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The regulator, besides looking at the telecom industry, also has reins over the DTH and broadcasting industry as well. However, the deadline, which has expired on August 12, has seen very little compliance from the broadcasters. As per the broadcasting companies, they need more time to file the Reference Interconnect Offer (RIO), and this is more time to take part in the process. It is also worth noting that the ruling of the court has not sat well with these companies.

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Only One Point of the Tariff Order Struck Down

To roll back a little bit, the broadcasting companies have been opposed to the National Tariff Order rollout by TRAI since the beginning. The legal tussle for the same still continues in many High Courts across the country. In a very recent ruling by Bombay HC, the bench had upheld the constitutional validity of the NTO 2.0 brought forth by TRAI. The report comes from ET Telecom. However, using the doctrine of severability, the bench had struck down a part of the order on the grounds that it was arbitrary.

The ruling was petitioned against by the broadcasters in the Supreme Court, which had refused to club the various cases firstly and secondly had outright refused to put a stay on order. This was on August 6, after which the next hearing is slated to be heard on August 18.