Trai releases fresh consultation paper on issues related to broadcast sector

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₹130 should be reviewed and if distribution platform owners (DPOs) should be allowed to have variable NCF for different bouquets or plans within the same location. Trai also sought views on whether it should revise the current provision that NCF for second TV connection and onwards in multi-TV homes should not be more than 40% of declared NCF per additional TV, and in case of such homes, whether the pay television channels for each additional TV connection be also made available at a discounted price.

The authority also asked stakeholders if there a need to review the ceiling on discount on sum of MRP of a-la-carte channels in a bouquet while fixing the MRP of that bouquet by DPOs, and what the ceiling should be. It sought views on whether the total channel carrying capacity of a DPO be defined in terms of bandwidth (in MBPS) assigned to specific channels and what the quantum of bandwidth assigned to SD and HD channels should be; whether the extant prescribed HD/SD (high definition/standard definition) ratio which treats one HD channel equivalent to two SD channels for the purpose of counting number of channels in NCF should also be reviewed.

Besides asking for measures that should be taken to ensure similar reception quality to subscribers for similar genre of channels, the authority sought suggestions on the parameter that should be monitored or checked to ensure that no television channel is discriminated against by a DPO. The authority also asked stakeholders if there should be a provision to mandatorily provide free-to-air news, non-news or newly launched channels available on the platform of a DPO to all the subscribers.