Andrew Bonwick
Vice President of Product Development at Relm Insurance
Madhav Sheth
CEO of Ai+ Smartphone
Stephen Rose
CEO Render Networks

There has been a tussle going on in the DTH and broadcasting industry regarding the long-term channel packs which the subscribers were enjoying before the implementation of the new Trai tariff regime. The controversy regarding these long-term plans has been brewing in the industry ever since the telecom regulator implemented by this new regulatory framework in India. While the entire matter concerns the subscribers who were previously hooked on to the long-term plans, the subscribers who have already migrated to the new Trai based channel packs can get access to different offerings from the DTH operators which might sweeten the deal similar to how long-term plans used to do for them before the Trai regime.

Legal Row on Long-Term Plans and Latest Verdict
The major DTH service providers, D2h and Tata Sky came up with some attractive long-term offers for their subscribers after the implementation of the new Trai tariff regime. As for the subscribers who were enjoying the benefits of the long-term plans which they had previously subscribed, the party ended for them at the start of August as Airtel Digital TV started migrating these subscribers to monthly channel packs. As you would expect, the subscribers were not pleased about it. Also, Trai has tried fighting the matter in court where Tata Sky had moved against the regulator. In Delhi HC, the Trai’s directive of allowing the long-term packs to function uninterrupted was ruled out, and it was stated that everyone be shifted to the new Trai based channel packs and new pricing.