Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai)’s new tariff regime for broadcasting, which comes into effect from February 1, is a welcome reform.
The current TV broadcasting and pricing models are tightly controlled by Direct To Home (DTH) and cable operators, with very little customized choice offered to 165 million pay TV subscribers. Generally, an average household does not watch more than 25 channels but as of now, is forced to pay for over 250 channels under generic packages.
The new broadcasting rules will provide viewers a-la-carte channels and individual pricing, in some cases as low as 50 paisa a month. It will bring down the monthly cable TV tariffs significantly and benefit consumers across the country.
It will be especially useful to those households in cities and big towns, who have moved to new online platforms which stream a wide range of ad-free entertainment, much of which is in high definition. Besides, the streaming applications also offer original content, broadening the consumer choice. This has led to the decline in DTH and cable television viewership in urban centres.
Though Trai has set up a website to help consumers make an informed choice about the channels and pricing, DTH providers have been extremely slow in raising awareness about the new regime. Subscribers have also been complaining that the service providers as of now do not offer a-la-carte channels and the new lowered pricing. Trai must ensure that DTH providers comply and make it a hassle free experience for consumers.