After a lot of confusion and hula-hoop about which channels the subscribers can choose for their base pack of 100 SD channels, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has issued another clarification. The regulator has this time asserted that the subscribers of DTH or cable subscribers would be able to choose any free to air channels, pay channels or a bouquet of pay channels and also a combination of the above which will only cost them Rs 130, and after taxes, the price will be Rs 153.40. This clarification comes from the regulator after there was a lot of confusion as to which channels the subscribers will be able to watch as part of their base pack.
Freedom to Choose A-la-Carte Channels Under Base Pack
Trai in its press release said, “Now it has been noticed that several broadcasters are advertising their channels in the form of bouquets only. However, customers may note that they have the option to choose channels on a-la-carte also.” The regulator further said, “The maximum retail price (MRP) of a channel on a-la-carte can be viewed in the Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) or Menu of their TV screens. Distribution Platform Operator (DPO) such as cable operators, DTH operators may provide a discount on the MRP displayed on the EPG.”
Not only this but only a few days ago Trai had issued another clarification concerning the deadline of the migration to the new Trai plan. The regulator had said that the last date for migrating to the new Trai compliant plans is January 31 and that subscribers should not wait for the last minute to carry out the migration process. Trai also warned that any subscriber who does not complete the migration process in time, i.e. before February 1 is likely to face an interruption in services.
Tata Sky Still Remains Silent About New Plans
It is worth noting that almost all DTH and cable providers have charted out their channel packs and pricing as per the new Trai mandate. However, the biggest DTH provider in the country, Tata Sky has not been able to come up with anything yet. In fact, D2h has also started migrating its customers to the new plans. In case you want to migrate to the new Trai plans then you can call the customer service number of your respective DTH provider, or you can also check the consumer channel information channel 999. Lastly, you can also visit the DTH provider’s website where you will find all the channel and pricing details. Trai had announced this new framework of pricing back in 2017. However, it came into effect only on December 29, 2018. The regulator has given till January 31 to subscribers and DTH providers for finishing the migration process to the new plans.
