TRAI Amends DTH Rules to Slash Bills

Good news folks! Your DTH bills are going down from March. But, how will that happen? New TRAI DTH rules. Read and find out below. 

It might sound quite unusual but it’s true. A government body is promptly responding to people’s complaints. Yes! It’s actually listening and taking action too. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is currently acting like a considerate mother for DTH consumers. ‘Customer is the King’ is being realized by a government body. Oh God, let this pleasant dream prevail!

Enough of melodrama. Now let’s talk about what’s happening. After amending the DTH and cable TV regulation last year, now new TRAI DTH Rules has slashed the NCF charges(Network Capacity Fee). It has also introduced many other changes that would bring down the bill amount that customers are now paying.

The NCF Enhancement

If you read the above paragraph carefully and are now getting confused by the heading, please be rest assured that it’s not a mistake. Things are not that simple as they appear to be. If you  have ever observed a sales department meeting, you would have definitely heard these words “We just can not offer discounts but we can offer additional services if required.” The same has happened in the case of NCF.

There’s a NCF charges of Rs. 130 that customers (used to) pay per month for viewing 100 channels in predefined bundle. And, they pay extra for channels over and above. The limit of 100 channels also included Doordarshan etc. and all those channels which always gave you a thought “Does anyone watch them?” (Basically those mandated by the Ministry of Broadcasting and Communication).

Now, for the same amount the consumers would be able to watch 200 channels and there’s something even better. These 200 channels won’t include all those mandatory channels. So, now a bundle would be customizable in true sense! Besides this, if you have additional TV connections, the NCF charges applicable would be 40% (maximum) of the declared NCF.

Other Changes

Now we’re going to talk about a change that we as Indians would be obsessed with. Discount! As per the new regulation, DTH Operators and Cable TV companies will now be able to offer discounted prices for long duration packs. Last year, TRAI curtailed their ability to offer discounts but now they are free for it.

There is also a cap that has been introduced on the channels that would be part of a bundle. So, channels priced more than Rs. 12 shall not be a part a bundle offered by operators. Also, a rule has been introduced that ala-carte channels have to be priced in way that their sum on an individual basis can not be more than 1.5 times of their price when offered in a bundle. Confused? In a straightforward manner this means that, operators now can’t persuade you to buy bundles of channels when you wish to purchase ala-carte.

The Final Word

Anything useful or advantageous for the consumers is always welcome. It’s really good to see TRAI acting in consumer’s favour so promptly. But, the actual effect of this amendment will be visible only with time. Also, will the operators accept this as it is or, will they come up with some innovative idea to make up for their lost margins? We’ll have to wait and watch.

Hope you liked this information. Comment below with your opinions/suggestions.