The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on July 08, 2024, issued the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services Standards of Quality of Service and Consumer Protection (Addressable Systems) (Fourth Amendment) Regulations, 2024 to further amend the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services Standards of Quality of Service and Consumer Protection (Addressable Systems) Regulations, 2017.
The following amendments have been stated:
• In regulation 4 which specifies Procedure for new connection, for sub-regulation (5) and (6), the following sub-regulation shall be substituted, namely: -
“(5) A distributor of television channels or its linked local cable operator, as the case may be, shall declare onetime installation charge for installation of a new connection for providing the broadcasting services related to television:
Provided that a distributor of television channels shall be free to declare different one-time installation charge for different,-
(i) regions in its service area;
(ii) classes of consumers; and
(iii) any combination of (i) and (ii) above:
Provided that every classification between consumers shall be based on intelligible eligibility criteria where such criteria shall have a rational nexus to the purpose of the said classification.
Provided further that the amount charged by distributor of television channels or its linked local cable operator, as the case may be, is transparent, and non-discriminatory for all the subscribers who meet the same criteria of region or area and class, as declared by the distribution platform operator and the same is published on its website and reported to the Authority in the manner as may be specified by the Authority from time to time.
(6) A distributor of television channels or its linked local cable operator, as the case may be, shall declare onetime activation charge for activating the broadcasting services related to television:
Provided that a distributor of television channels shall be free to declare different one-time activation charge for different,-
(i) regions in its service area;
(ii) classes of consumers; and
(iii) any combination of (i) and (ii) above:
Provided that every classification between consumers shall be based on intelligible eligibility criteria where such criteria shall have a rational nexus to the purpose of the said classification.
Provided further that the amount charged by distributor of television channels or its linked local cable operator, as the case may be, is transparent, and non-discriminatory for all the subscribers who meet the same criteria of region or area and class, as declared by the distribution platform operator and the same is published on its website and reported to the Authority in the manner as may be specified by the Authority from time to time.”.
• In regulation 14 which specifies , for the existing proviso, the following proviso shall be substituted, namely: -
“Provided that it shall be permissible for the distributor to declare different relocation charges for different, -
(i) regions in its service area;
(ii) classes of consumers; and
(iii) combination of (i) and (ii) above:
Provided that every classification between consumers shall be based on intelligible eligibility criteria where such criteria shall have a rational nexus to the purpose of the said classification.
Provided further that the amount charged by distributor of television channels or its linked local cable operator, as the case may be, is transparent and non-discriminatory for all the subscribers who meet the same criteria of region or area and class as declared by the distribution platform operator and the same is published on its website and reported to the Authority in the manner specified by the Authority from time to time.”
These Regulations shall apply throughout the territory of India.
[File No. RG-8/1/(9)/2021-B AND CS(1 AND 3)]
