The Hindu Business Line : TRAI told to look into pricing for TV channels under DTH

The Telecom Dispute Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) on Tuesday asked the telecom and broadcasting regulator to look into the possibility of fixing prices of TV channels under the DTH (Direct-to-Home) service similar to the recent order for Conditional Access System (CAS).

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had fixed a ceiling of Rs 5 per pay channel for CAS-notified areas of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.

"For CAS, you have come out with an order of Rs 5 per channel, but for DTH, you do not have any plans like that," TDSAT Chairman Mr Justice Arun Kumar said. In the absence of any firm pricing formula, DTH companies would continue to fight among themselves, he said while hearing a case between DTH platform TataSky and content provider Zee-Turner.

TDSAT has asked TRAI to file a reply within two weeks.

DSAT has also sought the regulator's view on channel pricing formula for non-CAS areas. DTH operators Tata Sky and Zee-Turner have also been asked to send a copy of their appeal to the TRAI, so that the regulator could have a view on it.

Satisfactory

Meanwhile TRAI on Tuesday said that that the new CAS system was being implemented successfully. The TRAI Chairman, Mr Nripendra Misra, expressed satisfaction over the rollout of new cable TV delivery system and said three lakh set-top boxes have been installed in the three metros. "There is no blackout. Those who do not want set-top box will get free-to-air channels," Mr Misra said. The TRAI also reported a correction by some broadcasters in matter of tariffs in CAS notified Area.

In a statement released by TRAI, it said that some of the pay channels listed in the Web site are not pay channels even as some new channels have gone paid for the CAS-notified areas. For instance Toon Disney (Tamil) and The Disney Channel (English) would be pay channels in other CAS areas, but free to air in Chennai.

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