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Analogue cable TV rates can be hiked in two phases, according to a notification issued by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Monday.
The regulator said the price increase was based on inflation-linked adjustments. While a 15 per cent hike in both wholesale and retail levels of non-addressable cable tariffs will be effective April 1, another round of hike of 12.5 per cent will be undertaken from January 2015.
These inflation-linked hikes could not be introduced in the last five years as the matter was pending with the Supreme Court, TRAI added.
“Based on the rise in the Wholesale Price Index over the last five years and considering other relevant factors, the Authority has come to a conclusion that an overall 27.5 per cent inflation hike is to be allowed,” it said in a statement. Passing on the 27.5 per cent hike in a single stroke would not be appropriate for the market and consumers. Therefore, the hike will be implemented in two phases, it added.
According to the amended tariff order, the basic tier –20 pay TV channels and 30 free-to-air channels— analogue cable TV subscribers will have to pay ₹160-197, depending on the classification of the cities. For the top end tier—45 pay TV channels and a minimum of 30 free-to-air channels—subscribers will need to pay ₹246-320, based on their location.
The top three metros, besides 36 cities with a population of over one million, have been digitised. Now the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is focused on digitisation of other urban and rural regions and the entire country needs to be digitised by the end of this year.
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