The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has said that it plans to roll out interoperability of set-top-boxes by the end of this year, ET Brand Equity reported. When interoperability comes into play, the subscribers of DTH operators will be able to change their service provider without needing to change the set-top-box. Presently, if a subscriber wishes to switch his service provider, then he or she is required to change his set-top-box as well. As per Trai’s statement, the process will be as simple as sending an SMS, and after that, the customers will be required to fill an application form which will enable them to migrate to a new DTH provider without changing their set-top-box.
Interoperability to Be Launched by Year-End
Trai chairman, RS Sharma said about this, “Trai is scheduled to launch the process for subscribers to shift (or port) to new distribution platform operators (DPOs). We are likely to launch the new portability regime by December this year.” According to Trai, the new technology for interoperability will rely on a smart card which will store all the operator specific requirements, and all the generic details will be stored in the set-top-box. So, when subscribers make the switch to another DTH service provider, they will only have to change the smart card and not the box itself.
If currently, subscribers decide to get a new connection they have to shell out around Rs 1,400 to Rs 1,600 to get a new connection, this being one of the reasons why subscribers are often reluctant to change their service provider. However, once interoperability equipped set-top-boxes come into the picture, these costs will be cut down as subscribers won’t have to change their set-top-box, but they will only have to pay for the smart card.
Trai Answering 2,500 Grievances Daily
In another development, after the rollout of the new pricing framework by the industry regulator, the authority has been flooded with many complaints. To resolve these issues, Trai has even set up a grievance helpline for the consumers which is already answering around 2,500 customer queries per day.
Sharma also said in this regard, “We have put in about 25 people to answer such calls. There are a lot of problems arising from miscommunication, which we are trying to address and we may increase the number of resources from 25 to about 50 if needed.” He further added to his word, “Keeping subscribers’ interest in mind, Trai has put the set-top-box interoperability on a fast-track. Service providers (DPOs) should understand that only quality services along with competitive fee can sail them through or else the subscribers will easily port to a new service provider.”
