TRAI, also known as Telecom Regulatory Authority Of India has recently come up with a new scheme for consumers which enables them to select channels of their choice and appropriately pay as per their choice of channels. This will help to reduce the burden of a common man who has been paying a huge amount of subscription to operators even for unwatched channels.
For this Trai has launched a web application to help the consumers in selecting their desired packages. Though his regulation for Indian television and the broadcasting sector has been implemented since February 2019, people all around the country are still confused about it. TRAI’s application will help consumers in selecting the desired channels and also knowing their total cost beforehand including 18% GST.
Now the subscription fees have been distributed in two categories: -one is NCF- Network Capacity Fees which is just like a recurring fixed rental payment paid every month and the other one is the price of selected paid channels. For example:- The NCF for 100 channels is Rs.130/- and if you select two paid channels of Rs. 20/- each then your total monthly cost would be 130+40=170 rupees. However, there are three slabs provided for NCF which are Rs.130/- for 100 channels, Rs. 150/- for 100 to 125 channels and Rs. 170/- for 125 to 150 channels.
There are 550 FTA i.e. Free To Air channels at present and the other channels are paid ones. Consumers don’t need to pay any amount for the FTA channels. The basic motive of TRAI’s web application is to optimise the selection of the channels and calculate the bill. Consumers can also download and print the selection along with the calculated price through this application.
TRAI has implemented these new tariff guidelines to decrease the burden of NCF on the cable DTH customers. The deadline for the implementation of the cable DTH tariff plan for the cable operators and broadcasters has been extended to 31st March 2019. Although this regulation has been implemented for decreasing the burden on DTH consumers still consumers are facing a lot of difficulties in using this new tariff plan.
Currently, we are receiving many consumer complaints against the DTH cable operators countrywide. Many DTH consumers are coming to our portal to file complaints against popular DTH companies. Most of the complaints are related to issues like operators are still charging fees for the unwanted channels, they are not upgrading tariff plan as per the user’s choice and in some cases, though the payment has been made still the consumers are not able to view the selected channels. In fact, a few of the consumers are also complaining that they are facing difficulties in selecting their desired channels due to technical issues or errors at operators end. Such consumer complaints are increasing day by day and a lot of chaos has occurred among the consumers regarding this new cable DTH tariff plan.
Though TRAI has requested the DTH operators to create the best-fit-plan for the subscribers, the subscribers are advised to collect information about the new rules and guidelines which have been imposed since 1st, February 2019. Let’s hope that this new framework will bring a positive revolution in Direct-To-Home entertainment.
