MANU/TRAI/0107/2016

Department/Board : Telecom Regulatory Authority of India

Press Release No. : 99/2016

Date : 10.10.2016

TRAI releases the draft " The Standards of Quality of Service and Consumer Protection (Digital Addressable Systems) Regulations, 2016"

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has today released "the draft Standards of Quality of Service and Consumer Protection (Digital Addressable Systems) Regulations, 2016".

2. TRAI has earlier issued Quality of Service (QoS) regulations for different television delivery platforms in broadcasting sector from time to time with a view to ensure better quality of TV broadcasting services to the consumers. These regulations were issued when the digital revolution in the broadcasting sector and use of ICT technologies for managing QoS complaint redressal were at the nascent stage. In today's digital broadcasting scenario where substantial digitalization has been achieved, the basic QoS provisions and performance parameters are largely similar across the television distribution platforms. Subscription of services, complaint redressal and even the consumption of services have become platform agnostic. In digital environment, consumer awareness about the service offerings, ease in subscription, service management and redressal of consumer complaints by the service providers in a time bound manner are vital areas of concern to ensure good quality of service to consumers. Optimum utilization of ICT technologies will go a long way in ensuring better quality of television broadcasting services.

3. With a view to harmonize existing QoS provisions and also to formulate unified regulations for all digital addressable systems viz. Cable TV, DTH, HITS and IPTV, a consultation paper on "Issues related to Quality of Services in Digital Addressable Systems and Consumer Protection" was issued on 18th May 2016, inviting comments from the stakeholders. An Open House Discussion in the subject matter was also organized on 28th July 2016 as a part of the consultation process. Comments of the stakeholders were taken in to consideration while formulating the draft "The Standards of Quality of Service and Consumer Protection (Digital Addressable Systems) Regulations, 2016. Salient features of the draft regulations are :-

(i) Common framework for standard of QoS and consumer protection across digital addressable platforms viz DTH, Cable TV, IPTV, HITS.

(ii) Choice of subscription to a-la-carte channels and bouquets of channels by subscribers have been simplified.

(iii) Simplification of consumer premises equipment /Set top Box schemes.

(iv) Publicity of services using a designated link on the website of the Distribution Platform Operators called "Consumer Corner".

(v) Conducting of public awareness campaign using consumer educational channels by the service providers.

(vi) Simplification of Consumer Application Form (CAF) and encouraging use of electronic CAF.

(vii) Subscribers can get services temporarily suspended for upto three months in a year.

(viii) Mandatory provision to record the consent of the subscribers for any change in the subscribed packages.

(ix) Protection of consumer interest in case of prolonged and continued disruption in service beyond 72 hrs.

4. As part of the consultative process, the aforesaid draft Regulations has been uploaded on the TRAI website. The intent to upload the draft Regulations is to give an opportunity to the stakeholders to offer their comments, if any, on the proposed regulatory framework. The exercise also brings transparency while brining change in the existing regulatory framework. It will be appreciated if stakeholders provide their comments with adequate justification, data and analysis on the completeness and consistency of the framework provided in the draft Regulations. Stakeholders are requested to offer their comments latest by 25th October, 2016. The comments may be sent, preferably in electronic form to, Prof. M. Kasim, Advisor (B&CS)-III, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, by Email: mkasim@trai.gov.in or ks.rejimon@nic.in. For any clarification / information, Advisor (B&CS)-III may be contacted at Tel. No.: +91-1123237922, Fax: +91-11-23220442.

6. The full text of the draft Regulations is available on TRAI's website.

(S. K. Gupta)
Secretary I/c