MANU/TRAI/0091/2015

Department/Board : Telecom Regulatory Authority of India

Press Release No. : 72/2015

Date : 29.12.2015

TRAI releases Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services (Fourth) (Addressable Systems) Tariff (Sixth Amendment) Order, 2015 (6 of 2015)

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services (Fourth) (Addressable Systems) Tariff (Sixth Amendment) Order, 2015 (6 of 2015), which will come into force from 1st April 2016.

2. TRAI issued Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services (Fourth) (Addressable Systems) Tariff (Second Amendment) Order, 2013 on 20th September 2013, wherein Twin Conditions' were prescribed at retail level pricing of TV broadcasting services in order to link the a-la-carte rates of channels to the bouquet rates.

3. Some platform operators had raised concerns about the implementation of 'Twin Conditions' prescribed in the Tariff (Second Amendment) Order dated 20th September 2013 and had filed an appeal before the Hon'ble TDSAT. Hon'ble TDSAT disposed off the appeal vide its order dated 13th July, 2015 stating that the Authority will consider the concerns of the appellants and take a final decision on the matter within four months from the date of order.

4. Accordingly, TRAI issued the draft Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services (Fourth) (Addressable Systems) Tariff (Amendment) Order, 2015 on 30th September 2015 proposing simplified Twin Conditions' for seeking stakeholders comments. Subsequently, an Open House Discussion was held at New Delhi on 18th November, 2015. Based on the views/comments of the stakeholders and the analysis of the issues, the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services (Fourth) (Addressable Systems) Tariff (Sixth Amendment) Order, 2015 has been issued.

5. The salient features of the Tariff (Sixth Amendment) Order are:

• Simplified Twin Conditions' have been prescribed to ensure availability of an effective choice to the consumers allowing them to subscribe to their desired channels on an a-la-carte basis at a reasonable price.

• Platform operators continue to enjoy flexibility to notify a-la-carte rates of all the channels available at its platform. They have flexibility to reduce ala-carte rates of channels at any time to facilitate lower rates for a bouquet consisting of such on a-la-carte channels.