Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has roped in experts from coveted institutions such as IIT-Mumbai, IISC Bangalore and other broadcast experts to look into the issue of inter-operability of set-top boxes.

The regulator also has started pre-consultations to workout a framework for infrastructure sharing in broadcasting TV distribution sector in line with the Telecom sector. Inter-operability, if implemented, will allow consumers to switch their cable and DTH operator without changing set-top boxes or incurring high costs.

TRAI officials said a team of 12 experts is looking into the matter. Speaking at a media briefing, RS Sharma, Chairman, TRAI said, “It’s essentially a technology issue and we have got on board professors from IIT and IISC to look into these issues and see if we can have a workable solution. We have also got our technology advisor C-DOT on board. ”

TRAI officials said that it might be easier to have inter-operability if a consumer wants to switch from one cable operator to another, but inter-operability between cable STB and DTH STB may have far more complicated technological challenges.

Overall strategy

Talking about TRAI’s overall strategy for the broadcast sector, Sharma said, “We are actively working and formulating a broad strategy to carry out overall reforms in the broadcast sector so as to bring about transparency, more choice for consumers, reduction in disputes between stakeholders and ensure healthy growth of the sector.” He said that consumer interests are at the centre of the regulator’s strategy for the broadcast sector.

The telecom and broadcast regulator has several consultations on right now, on various issues relating to the broadcast sector, which includes quality of services norms for consumers, tariff issues related to TV services and inter-connection agreements among players.

Talking about infrastructure sharing in the broadcast sector, Sharma said that in line with the telecom sector, TRAI is examining if sharing of infrastructure can happen in the broadcast sector to reduce operational costs, which in turn will be beneficial for the consumers. Cable and DTH operator are using different head-ends, satellite systems and different optical fibre networks to distribute the same set of channels.

He said this may also need re-looking at certain conditions in the licensing framework, which may disallow sharing of infrastructure.

After consultations, the regulator would look at creating a proper framework can be provided which allows sharing of infrastructure by broadcasters.

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