THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
(SHRI MANISH TEWARI)
(a): TRAI has recently issued two tariff orders namely the “Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services (Fifth) (Digital Addressable Cable TV Systems) Tariff Order, 2013 (No. 1 of 2013)†dated 27.5.2013 which provides for standard tariff packages for supply and installation of Set Top Box (STB) to the consumer under DAS notified areas and “The Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services (Sixth) (The Direct to Home Services) Tariff Order dated 27.05.2013†which provides for standard tariff packages for supply and installation of Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) to the consumer of DTH service. Copies of the Orders dated 27.05.2013 is available at TRAI’s website http://www.trai.gov.in.
(b): A summary table showing different standard schemes of rent per month/security deposit per STB/CPE payable by a subscriber to the service provider is given below: -
Service Security Monthly Refund of security deposit Deposit Rent (Rs.) (Rs.) (Excluding taxes)
DAS 400 55.66 Security deposit would be 800 50.66 refunded after 3 years or on DTH 500 71.75 surrender of STB/CPE within 1000 65.50 three years.
DAS 400 46.80 The security deposit gets 800 32.93 adjusted over 3 years. If DTH 500 60.66 STB/CPE is surrendered 1000 43.33 within 3 years, the unadjusted portions of the security deposit would be refunded.
The salient features of these tariff orders are as under:
# The tariff includes installation and activation charges as well as the charges for maintenance and repairs for a period of 3 years.
# No monthly rental to be paid after 3 years. The STB/ CPE becomes property of the subscriber after 3 years.
# These packages are to be mandatorily offered to the subscribers and ‘in addition` service providers can also offer alternative schemes/ packages for supply of STBs/CPEs.
(c): The tariff orders of TRAI have been devised to make available STBs / CPEs at reasonable price and the terms and conditions have been formulated so as to make them lucid and easy to understand, as well as to take care of the interests of the service providers. These tariff orders aim at promoting healthy competition amongst the operators which would ultimately benefit all the stakeholders of the sector, including the consumers and to ensure effective commercial interoperability leading to easy migration of the subscriber from one operator to another, in case a consumer wishes to do so.
(d) to (f): TRAI has prepared two draft tariff orders namely “Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services (Fifth) (Digital Addressable Cable TV Systems) Tariff Order, 2013 (No. 1 of 2013) and “The Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services (Sixth) (The Direct to Home Services) Tariff Order. These draft tariff orders were put up on the website of TRAI on 11th April 2013 for consultation with the stakeholders. In response, 7 comments were received for draft tariff order applicable for DTH services and 13 comments were received for the draft tariff order applicable for Digital Addressable System (DAS). Details are available at TRAI’s website http://www.trai.gov.in. After due consideration of the inputs received from the stakeholders, the facts and figures provided by the industry stakeholders/Associations and analysis of the relevant issues, TRAI issued said tariff orders on 27.5.2013.
