The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has extended the deadline for the implementation of New Tariff Order (NTO) 2.0 to November 30, 2022.
TRAI in its official statement said, “All the distributors of television channels shall ensure that services to the subscribers, with effect from 30th November 2022, are provided as per the bouquets or channels opted by them.”
“TRAI letter of even number dated 03rd February 2022, directed all the broadcasters to report to the Authority, any change in name, nature, language, Maximum Retail Price (MRP) per month of channels, and composition and MRP of bouquets, as per the New Regulatory Framework 2020, by 28th February 2022,” the statement read.
“Further, it directed all the Distribution Platform Operators (DPOs) to report to the Authority, Distributor Retail Price (DRP) of pay channels and bouquets of pay channels and composition of bouquets of pay and free-to-air (FTA) channels, as per the New Regulatory Framework 2020, by 31st March 2022. Furthermore, it directed all the distributors to ensure that services to the subscribers, with effect from 01stJune 2022, are provided as per the bouquets or channels opted by them,” added TRAI statement.
A committee was constituted under the aegis of the TRAI, consisting of members from the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation, the All India Digital Cable Federation and DTH Association, to look into the process of smooth implementation of the provisions of the New Regulatory Framework 2020 keeping in view consumers benefit and suggest measures thereof, and to identify impediments with counter measures for overall growth of the broadcasting sector.
In order to address the issues as identified by the said committee, the Authority released Consultation Paper no. OS/2022 dated the 07th May 2022 on “Issues related to New Regulatory Framework for Broadcasting and Cable services”. Keeping in view the ongoing consultation process, it has been decided to extend the deadlines as provided under the said letter dated 03rd February 2022.
The statement from TRAI further read, “The broadcasters shall report to the Authority, any change in name, nature, language, MRP per month of channels, and composition and MRP of bouquets of channels as per the New Regulatory Framework 2020, by 31st August 2022, and simultaneously publish such information on their websites. The broadcasters who have already submitted their RIOs in compliance with the New Regulatory Framework 2020 may also revise their RIOs by 31st August 2022.”
“Further, all DPOs shall report to the Authority, DRP of pay channels and bouquets of pay channels, and composition of bouquets of pay and FTA channels, as per the New Regulatory Framework 2020 by 30th September 2022 , and simultaneously publish such information on their websites. DPOs who have already submitted their RIOs in compliance of the New Regulatory Framework 2020 may also revise their RIOs by 30th September 2022,” the statement said.
