New Delhi: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued draft regulation(Second Amendment) to the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services Standards of Quality of Service and Consumer Protection (Addressable Systems) Regulations 2017.
The move comes after TRAI’s field inspection on some DPOs to verify the process of selection of channels made available to consumers. Subsequently it has noticed that many DPOs platform were not providing adequate freedom and choice to consumers. On the other hand, customers also complained that the call centres of DPOs are also not helping to facilitate consumer choice of the channels.
In order to address above issue, The Authority, in the larger public interest, felt need to have Channel Selection System developed by third party to facilitate easy channel selection by consumers. Since, third party APP will be accessible by every customer of Broadcasting & Cables Services sector, therefore, it will facilitate the easy choice to consumers. To facilitate functioning of third-party Apps, TRAI created Channel Selection System API Specifications document which prescribed common APIs with all Distribution Platform Operators (DPO). TRAI intend to mandate all the DPOs to compulsorily share information with the apps after authenticating the subscriber so that such apps can help in easy selection of the required TV channels.
Through this draft regulation (second amendment), TRAI is seeking the comments of the stakeholders on the issue of developing of APP by third parties and consequent sharing of information using API between DPOs and consumers to have ease in selection of channels of their choice and reduce TV viewing charges by optimizing their subscription while allowing them to view channels of their interest.
The draft regulation (second amendment) issued on 9th August 2019 shall be open for comments of the stakeholders up to the 22nd August 2019. The draft regulation has also been placed on TRAl’s website: www.trai.gov.in
