Trai Asks Service Providers to Introduce Special Packs for Users With Multiple TV Connections

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Wednesday asserted that price-sensitive consumers would see a drop in their monthly bills as market forces come to play under the new tariff regime for broadcasting and cable services, and strongly contested a Crisil report that claimed that costs might rise by 25%. Addressing a conference, Trai Chairman R S Sharma said the assumptions made in the said report had been “wrong and unrealistic” and hence the conclusions, were not correct. Trai has received consumer complaints related to blackout (on one DTH platform), long duration packs and offerings for multiple TV connections, and the regulator is looking into the grievances and issuing suitable directions to operators.

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Trai Expects to See a Reduction in Monthly TV Viewing Bills

“Consumers must have a choice…and interfering with their freedom is a violation of regulatory framework,” Sharma said. He said that price-sensitive consumers could expect to see a reduction in their monthly TV viewing bills.

Trai has also asked platform operators to revert, in two days, with special schemes and plans for households with multiple TV connections. Trai has emphasised that players have to allow individual set-top boxes (even within the same household) to have a separate choice of channels if the consumer wishes.

As per regulations, players can choose to offer discounts or even waive off network capacity fee on the subsequent connection. Trai said it is maintaining a close watch on the issue and will intervene if required. To a specific query, the Trai chief said that his own bill has come down “substantially” under the new framework, but did not elaborate.