The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has decided to give TV viewers time till January 31 to migrate to the new broadcast tariff order, in a bid to ensure a smooth transition to new subscription plans.
It has asked all Distribution Platform Operators (DPOs) to continue with the existing subscription plans of subscribers uninterrupted till January 31, 2019. “DPOs will devise their own mechanism to reach out to all the subscribers and seek options from subscribers... DPOs to migrate all the subscribers to the new framework w.e.f February 1, 2019 as per options exercised by them,” it said in a statement. DPOs refers to MSOs and DTH service providers.
It has also directed service providers not to disconnect any signals/ feed either to MSOs, LCOs or subscribers till January 31.
The Authority said this is being done to facilitate the smooth transition of subscribers from the old to the new framework so that no inconvenience is caused to them.
According to the new tariff order, subscribers are required to opt for MRP-based subscription plans. Broadcasters have already released the MRP of their channels on an a-la-carte basis as well as in the form of bouquets.