TRAI New Rules: Here’s How It Will Impact Your Television Bill!

TRAI has implemented new regulations on DTH and cable operators. If the consumers carefully choose channels the amount payable may be even less than the present payments being made per month.

Updated: Sunday, January 20, 2019, 0:00 [IST]

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has been sending out text messages to all the subscribers about the changes on television tariffs that will be applied to all DTH and local cable operators. The customers can pay only for those channels they watch rather than rely on pre-decided packs that were provided by DTH or other local cable operators. The customers can now choose 100 or more channels, and pay exactly what the broadcaster is charging for these channels.

So many might have a few questions in mind like how these will impact your cable TV bill and how to reduce bill after new TRAI orders. Here are the answers for all your queries!

Rs 130 Base Pack Combinations

The base pack (Rs 130) has various combinations. For example, for the Hindi speaking market, TRAI has a suggestive pack, which will cost Rs 184 per month (including tax). The pack offers 25 paid channels, 50 free-to-air channels and 25 Doordarshan channels (all free-to-air). The base network capacity is Rs 130 but the paid channels costs Rs 26 and Rs 28 for 18% GST. The total becomes Rs 184. This is just an example and the customers have full freedom to choose their favourite channels.

What If You Choose Only 100 Free-To-Air Channels?

If you are opting for 100 channels and if you have chosen all 100 free-to-air channels then the network capacity fee is only Rs 130. But if you add paid channels in this list of 100 channels, then the MRP of all these channels will be added along with the Rs 130 network capacity fee.

Paid Channels' Prices

To check the prices of all the channels, one can visit TRAI website (channeltariff.trai.gov.in), which has all the prices of all paid channels. The maximum price of a channel is now limited to Rs 19.

Channel Bouquets

Channel bouquets have also been created by the broadcasters. TRAI's website also has a list of all bouquet packs declared by broadcasters. If the customers do not like the bouquets, they need not opt for it.

As per TRAI, there are as many as 330 pay TV channels, which include HD and SD, from 40 broadcasters. The list of private FTA (free-to-air) channels goes up to 535. The FTA channels cannot be clubbed with pay channels in the bouquets. Also, HD channels can't be clubbed with the SD channels.

How Can Consumers Reduce The Bill?

TRAI says on its website, "If a consumer carefully chooses channels of choice for the complete requirement of a family, the amount payable may be even less than the present payments being made per month."

Faulty Connection

What if your connection is faulty and not restored in 72 hours? TRAI wrote, "If a TV connection is faulty then there is a provision of Call Centre. If connection is not restored in 72 hours, then you do not have to pay."

Set Top Box

TRAI also informed the consumers that the new rules offer flexibility on set top box. It said, "TRAI's new Regulation offers flexibility on Set Top Box: you can opt either to own or to hire on rental basis."

Cost Of Migration

According to TRAI rules, the distributor shall continue to provide services for the remaning period without change in tariff plan, if you have already paid for an annual plan. After February 1, 2019, if you change to new package, the proportional balance amount of existing package can be adjusted against the new package.

The consumers have been given time till the end of this month (January) to make a choice for uninterrupted service from February 2019.