THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
(SHRI MANISH TEWARI)
(a) & (b) The tariff applicable for the broadcasting and cable TV services is governed by tariff orders notified by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) from time to time, which are available at TRAI’s website http://www.trai.gov.in. The Ministry has granted license to six companies to operate Direct-to-Home (DTH) services in the country. It is obligatory on the part of these DTH service providers to adhere to TRAI’s tariff orders.
As per extant tariff orders applicable for DTH service providers a DTH operator can charge a minimum subscription amount from its subscriber. The service provider is free to price and package their services, based on their business model subject to certain conditions prescribed in the said tariff order. However, to protect the interests of the consumers, a provision has been made in the said tariff order which prescribes that it shall be open to the service provider to specify a minimum monthly subscription, not exceeding one hundred and fifty rupees (exclusive of taxes) per month per subscriber towards channels chosen by the subscriber ( a-la-carte/ bouquet) for availing the services of such service provider.
(c) &(d) Whenever complaints are received regarding tariff related issues from DTH subscribers, they are sent to the respective DTH operators for timely redressal. Further, in order to protect the interest of DTH consumers, TRAI has issued Direct to Home Broadcasting Services (Standards of Quality of Service and Redressal of Grievances) Regulation, 2007 which, inter-alia, lays down the procedure to be followed by the DTH operators to redress grievances of their consumers. These regulations are also available on TRAI’s website at http://trai.gov.in.
(e) & (f) There is no such proposal under consideration.
