TRAI threatens to axe MSO, DTH licence to air

KOLKATA: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has warned MSOs,

DTH

and other distribution platform operators that not only will channel feeds be switched off on their platforms, but even their licences will be cancelled, if they fail to implement the new tariff order on cable television.

“It has been brought to the notice of the authority (TRAI) that certain rumours/messages are being floated that the implementation of the new framework has been postponed or stopped or is being modified. The authority clarifies that the new regulatory framework has come into effect on December 29, 2018. The schedule of activities has been duly communicated to all service providers for reaching out to consumers and obtaining choices,” a statement issued by TRAI read.

TRAI has also urged subscribers to exercise their options without waiting for the last minute to avoid any inconvenience, and to ensure they continue to view their favourite channels.

In Kolkata, multi-service operators (MSOs) and local cable operators (LCOs) are way short of the target that had been set by TRAI last month, when the December 29 deadline for the switchover from subscribing to a buffet of cable channels to ordering them à la carte was extended to February 1. While LCOs had to contact each household with a cable TV connection and collect forms containing the names of channels they wish to view in the new regime by January 21, not even half the households have been approached yet.

Immediately after the extension of the deadline, forms that had been distributed to some homes were withdrawn, with many LCOs assuring subscribers that the new tariff order had been kept in abeyance. On Monday, a section of LCOs met state government representative to express their reservations about the new tariff regime.

TRAI officials, including secretary S K Gupta, however, made it known that they will harbour no excuse and crack down on those who do not comply with the order on February 1, when only those pay channels that viewers opt for are beamed into their respective homes.

At the meeting, MSOs claimed the feedback from LCOs showed that consumers were not proactive in submitting their choice of channels. “Unless the channels are switched off, some consumers will not react. We have been calling for phased blackout of channels according to genres,” an

MSO

representative told TOI.

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