TRAI releases draft tariff orders prescribing standard tariff package (STP) for Set Top Boxes (STBs) for Digital Addressable Cable TV Systems (DAS) and Consumer Premises Equipments (CPEs) for Direct to Home (DTH) services
TRAI has released draft tariff orders prescribing standard tariff package (STP) for Set Top Boxes (STBs) for Digital Addressable Cable TV Systems (DAS) and Consumer Premises Equipments (CPEs) for Direct to Home (DTH) services for seeking comments of the stakeholders.
In Digital Addressable Systems, customers need a STB/ CPE to be connected with the TV set for reception of TV programmes as signal transmission is in digital and encrypted form. Since different technologies co-exist, within as well as across different platforms of Digital Addressable Systems, the STBs/CPEs deployed by one operator may not be fully compatible with the network of another operator, hampering effective migration of the customer from one service provider to another.
To protect the interests of the consumers the Authority has decided to prescribe Standard Tariff Packages for STB/CPE on rental basis, which are to be mandatorily offered by the service providers i.e. DTH and cable operators. This scheme envisages payment of a security deposit and monthly rental. The service providers are free to offer other tariff packages over and above this. Full text of the draft tariff orders is available on TRAI website www.trai.gov.in.
Written comments on the draft tariff orders are invited from the stakeholders by 26th April, 2013. The comments may be sent, preferably in electronic form to Mr. Wasi Ahmad, Advisor (B&CS), Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, Mahanagar Doorsanchar Bhawan, Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg, New Delhi 110002, on the e-mail address advbcs@trai.gov.in/ traicable@yahoo.co.in.
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