Question : EXISTING AGREEMENT BETWEEN BROADCASTERS AND CABLE SERVICE PROVIDERS

(a) whether the Telecom Authority of India has asked the broadcasters and cable service providers to provide details on the existing agreement between them;

(b) if so, whether this move is destined to uncover what is going on in the business including predatory pricing of channels on rival network;

(c) if so, whether Union Government has also decided to take future of CAS in its hands; and

(d) if so, how many States have so far agreed to introduce the CAS in their States and the latest position thereof?

THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND CULTURE (SHRI S. JAIPAL REDDY)

(a) to (d): Yes, Sir. As per the provisions of the `The Register of Interconnect Agreements Regulations, 1999`, all the service providers of Telecom services, including broadcasting and cable services, are required to register with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) any interconnect agreements to which they are parties within the time-frame specified in the Regulations. The implementation of CAS has been suspended by the Government through the notification of 27th Feb. 2004.