New DTH rules and TRAI's Channel Selector Application - Netnandid
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New DTH rules and TRAI’s Channel Selector Application…
- Document compiled & composed by RBG. @ Netnandid.com
TV is an integral part of any family worldwide, irrespective of the income groups the
family belongs to. Besides, TV is an important medium to meet the diverse needs of
individuals… from entertainment, politics, Finance, Heath, Education, on and forth.
The new TRAIs rules & regulations on TV/DTH channels have caught wild fire all over the
nation and making waves of doubts and ambiguities in our minds just to know Why,
What, When, Where and How it’s going to influence us. Thus, we have analyzed the
details of this regulation from various sources and writing the details in summarized
content to help you in taking wise decision on your TV channels. Let’s read…
HIGHLIGHTS
To clear the air... Watching TV is going to be need based and as cheaper as Rs.130/- for 100
Channels
Rs.130 is the maximum base pack price, which empowers subscribers to choose their desired
100 channels, with 534 FREE channels
The rules applies for all DTH and cable operators all over India, just not limited to TataSky,
Airtel, DishTv, Videocon or Hathway
TRAI has launched a new web app by name “Channel Selector Application”, to help users
select their desired TV channels
The new rule is all set to take off from 1st February 2019
While the new regulations is all set to go live from 1st February 2019, Let’s roll our eyeballs a little to
understand the regulations & gain knowledge on the new Channel Selector Application, launched by
TRAI, know what the terminologies “NCF”, “FTA”, “monthly bouquets”, “A-La-carte” mean and how to
interpret the same of our consumption.
Hyperlinks: Why? | What? | When & Where? | How? | Price tables | Channel Selector Application |
Random-reads
Why?
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has taken a very significant step in the domain of
television broadcasting to bring discipline and customer centric practices in India. Regulatory body have
framed three major regulations which came into effect from the end of year 2018 namely, “The
Interconnection Regulations 2017”, “Quality of Service & Customer Protection Regulations 2017” and
“Tariff Order 2017”. The new regulations is aimed
To benefit the subscribers (customers) with value for money services and to protect customer
interests
To provide level platform for all service providers and boost healthy competition in industry
To have control on the overall broadcasting industry from pricing, service and grievance
resolution
What?
The new ecosystem mandates broadcasters to publish the tariffs for each channel (also known as ala-
carte) as well as for bouquets (a combination of channels for a fixed price). Subsequently, cable TV
providers such as Hathway and Den, and DTH companies such as TataSky and Airtel Digital TV are
mandated to publish these prices and allow subscribers the complete freedom to pick from these
bouquets and A-La-carte channel options.
TRAI has capped the pricing, for broadcasters, for each Standard Definition (SD) and High Definition (HD)
channel at Rs.19/-, before taxes. Broadcasters are free to offer their channels as a part of a larger
bouquet(s) as they wish but have to also mandatorily offer each channel on an A-La-carte basis. The
cable and DTH operators have to list the pricing of each channel in the Electronic Program Guide (EPG)
or the menu of their Set Top Boxes (STB).
Key Terminologies to understand,
NCF: Network Capacity Fee. It is the rental charge you pay for your TV connection to your home. In
other words, this is Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of the base pack that all service providers need to
adhere (follow). The MRP of NCF is capped at Rs.130 per month (excluding GST) and this rental offers
carriage of minimum 100 TV channels.
FTA: Free To Air channels. Free-To-Air (FTA) channels are those TV channels which are free of cost and
no service providers can add this in paid channels bouquet or charge fees to offer these channels.
Currently there are 534 FTA channels available for all subscribers, who can choose all or any of these
channels basis his desire.A-La-carte: Refers to single (one) channels as an offering to select. As per the new regulation service
providers are mandated to offer all TC channels as A-La-carte, so that user has options to pick the
channels which needs his needs and they’re not restricted to buy channels in a bouquet (Bouquets
refers to pack of channels bundled together and priced accordingly). As per the new rules, MRP of an A-
La-carte channels (one channel) is Rs.19/- for both Standard Definition channels (SD) and High Definition
channels.
When & Where?
Well the new regulations were published in tail end of year 2018 which encompasses DTH / cable
service providers across pan India. Regulations initial deadline was before of 31st Dec’18. However the
deadlines got extended till 31st Jan’2019 to provide ample time for service providers and subscribers to
get sync to the new ecosystem.
Effective from 1st February 2019, all the service providers will be working in compliance with new
regulations and subscribers will be enabled with new tariffs and channel offerings.
How?
To start with, you need to avail the base pack (NCF) by paying Rs.130/-. For this rental you will be
provided with option to choose 100 channels of your need. As mentioned earlier, you can choose any
channels of your wish to complete the quota of 100 channels from range of FTA or pay channels and
your selection is empowered to choose between SD or HD channels. However, every HD channels will
be counted as 2 and SD channels are counted as 1 for each channel selected.
Base pack (NCF) comes with channel capacity of 100 channels. If subscribers wish to have more than 100
channels, they have an option to buy an Add-On pack with a capacity of 25 channels at a price of
Rs.20/- (for 20 channels). By this subscribers are eligible to add or select 20 more channels to their
basket from the available choice of FTA or paid channels, by which your total channels capacity will be
100+25 and the price you need to pay will Rs.130 + 20 + Price of Paid channels (if any). Note: You can keep
adding the Add-on packs to meet your required channel pack size.
Step 1 – Base Pack To start with, visit your service provider (Online or offline) pay for the
channel base pack (NCF), MRP Rs. 130 + GST
Step 2 – Your first 100 Choose your list of 100 channels from the range of FTA or pay
channels channels (Note: One SD channel is counted as 1 & HD channel =2)
Step 3 – Add-On Pack It’s Optional, if in need of having more than 100 channels. You need to
buy an Add-On pack(s) to increase the capacity
Step 4 – Pay & Watch Pay the total bill charged for the packs availed (Base pack/NCF + Add-
on pack + Pay channels price)
Example of billing: Let’s assume you have taken a base pack of 100 channels and it contain 75 FTA
channels, 25 DD channels, and 25 paid channels (costing Rs.57). Your final bill will be, Rs.130 (base pack)
+ 57(pay cannels) + GST (@18%) = Rs.221 (Rounded up)Price tables of popular channels (A-La-carte & Bouquet charges)
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited:
MRP of
A-La-carte MRP of Bouquet
Bouquet
S.No S.NO. Channels in Bouquet Channel (in Rs) (in Rs.)
Name
(excluding taxes) (excluding
taxes)
1 Zee TV 19.00
2 & TV 12.00
3 Zee Anmol 1.00
4 Big Magic 1.00
5 Zee Cinema 19.00
6 & Picture 10.00
7 Zee Bollywood 2.00
8 Zee Action 1.00
9 Zee Anmol Cinema 1.00
10 Zee News 0.50
11 Zee Hindustan 0.50
12 Zee Business 0.50
Zee Family 13 Living Foodz 1.00
1 Pack Hindi 14 Zee ETC 1.00 45.00
SD
15 Zing 1.00
16 Zee Salaam 1.00
17 Big Ganga 2.00
18 Zee Bihar Jharkhand 0.50
Zee Punjab Haryana
19 0.50
Himachal
Zee Madhya Pradesh
20 0.50
Chattisgarh
21 Zee Rajasthan News 0.50
Zee Uttar Pradesh
22 0.50
Uttarakhand
23 Zee 24 Kalak 0.50
24 Ezmall.com 0.10
Total Sum of MRP 76.60
Zee All-in-1 Pack, Kannada SD:
Zee All-in-1 1 Zee TV 19.00
17 Pack 2 & TV 12.00 66.00
Kannada SD 3 Zee Anmol 1.004 Big Magic 1.00
5 Zee Cinema 19.00
6 & Picture 10.00
7 Zee Bollywood 2.00
8 Zee Action 1.00
9 Zee Anmol Cinema 1.00
10 Zee News 0.50
11 Zee Hindustan 0.50
12 Zee Business 0.50
13 Living Foodz 1.00
14 Zee ETC 1.00
15 Zing 1.00
16 Zee Salaam 1.00
17 Zee Café 15.00
18 & Flix 15.00
19 WION 1.00
20 Zee Kannada 19.00
21 Zee Keralam 0.10
22 Ezmall.com 0.10
Total Sum of MRP 121.70
STAR India Private Limited
MRP of
A-La-carte MRP of Bouquet
Bouquet
S.No S.NO. Channels in Bouquet Channel (in Rs) (in Rs.)
Name
(excluding taxes) (excluding
taxes)
1 Star Plus 19.00
2 Star Bharat 10.00
3 Star Utsav 1.00
4 Star Gold 8.00
5 Movies OK 1.00
6 Star Utsav Movies 1.00
Hindi
2 7 Star Sports 1 Hindi 19.00 79.00
Premium
8 Star Sports 2 6.00
9 Star Sports 3 4.00
10 Star Sports First 1.00
National Geographic
11 2.00
Channel (NGC)
12 Nat Geo Wild 1.0013 Star Sports 1 19.00
14 Star Sports Select 1 19.00
15 Star Sports Select 2 7.00
16 Star Gold Select 7.00
17 Star Movies 12.00
18 Star World 8.00
19 Fox Life 1.00
Total Sum of MRP 146.00
SUN TV Network Limited:
MRP of
A-La-carte MRP of Bouquet
Bouquet
S.No S.NO. Channels in Bouquet Channel (in Rs) (in Rs.)
Name
(excluding taxes) (excluding
taxes)
1 SUN TV 19.00
2 KTV 19.00
3 Adithya TV 9.00
4 Sun Music 6.00
5 Chintu TV 6.00
6 Sun News 1.00
7 SUN Life 9.00
8 Gemini TV 19.00
9 Gemini Movies 17.00
10 Gemini Comedy 5.00
11 Gemini Music 4.00
Sun 12 Kushi TV 4.00
13 65.00
Ultimate 13 Gemini Life 5.00
14 Gemini News 0.10
15 Udaya TV 17.00
16 Udaya Movies 16.00
17 Udaya Comedy 6.00
18 Udaya Music 6.00
19 Chintu TV 6.00
20 Udaya News 0.10
21 Surya TV 12.00
22 Surya Movies 11.00
23 Kuchu TV 5.00
24 Surya Music 4.0025 Surya Comedy 4.00
Total Sum of MRP 210.20
List of few Free-To-Air channels
Channel Name Category Language
9X NON-NEWS HINDI
9X JALWA (PHIR SE 9X) NON-NEWS Language
9X JHAKAAS (9X MARATHI) NON-NEWS Language
9XM NON-NEWS Language
9XO (9XM VELVET) NON-NEWS Language
Housefull Action (earlier 9X BAJAO (Earlier 9X BAJAAO & 9X
NON-NEWS Language
BANGLA)
TV 24 NON-NEWS Language
INDIA AHEAD (EARLIER BHAARAT TODAY, BHARAT TODAY (Earlier
NEWS Language
YOUR NEWS))
ANGEL TV NEWS Language
GOD TV NEWS MARATHI
MOVIES HOUSE (Earleir ASHIRWAD CLASSIC) NON-NEWS Language
Studio One + (earlier ASHIRWAD Gold) NON-NEWS Language
NEWS 9 NON-NEWS HINDI
HINDI/ENGLISH /BENGALI&ALL
B4U MOVIES NEWS INDIAN INDIAN SCHEDULE
LANGUAGE
B4U MUSIC NEWS HINDI
Sony Tec NEWS Language
NETWORK 10 NEWS Language
TEN CRICKET (Earlier known as PLAY TV) NON-NEWS Language
UTV MOVIES INTERNATIONAL NON-NEWS HINDI
JAIN TV NEWS Language
Kasthuri NEWS Language
Kasthuri News 24 NEWS Language
THE MGM NEWS Language
NEO PRIME (earlier NEO CRICKET ) NEWS HINDI
NEO SPORTS NEWS Language
FTV.COM INDIA NON-NEWS HINDI
HINDI/ENGLISH /BENGALI&ALL
MASTIII NEWS INDIAN INDIAN SCHEDULE
LANGUAGE
We can check list of FTA, pay channels, bouquets and price in TRAI’s website at
https://channeltariff.trai.gov.in or alternatively you can download the same copy from documents
section of Netnandid.comChannel Selector Application This is customer centric initiative by TRAI to help subscriber to easily understand the pricing for their desired TV channels. The web app will help users to optimize the selection process and also guide you through the MRP of the packs chosen. It has step by step walk-through to help you ease the selection process. Details like Name, State, preferred language(s), Genres, SD/HD are captured by web app; Basis these details you will get your customized dialogue box to choose your channels from the array of Free- To-Air channels, pay channels & bouquets. Check the below screen snapshot for your reference. This web app is just intended to know the prices of channels you would like to opt for your consumption, but the platform cannot be used to purchase; In order to purchase the desired channels/bouquets, subscriber need to visit / consult their respective service provider (online or retailers). However, the print option at the end of selection process will come handy for users to get
consolidated list of channels they need to avail, which indeed can be submitted to their local cable
service providers or retailers to get the channels hassle free. (Tip: This app can be used by us to help people
who finds challenging to onboard the new change)
Click here to directly go to Channel Selector Application.
Random-reads
- DTH and cable companies are completely free to price this pack lower than the maximum
suggested price of Rs130 plus taxes, and could even go ahead and offer more than 100 channels
if competition demands
- TRAI’s statement adds that it has noticed that some broadcasters are advertising their channels
only in the form of monthly bouquets, where they have bundled together several channels.
“Customer may note that they have option to choose channels on A-La-carte also,” reminds
TRAI. Bouquets costs more if users need is just an individual channel (s)
- If a consumer chooses a pay channel as part of the basic package, they will need to pay the price
of that A-La-carte channel and above the Rs130 plus taxes for the base pack
- Cable operators, DTH operators can provide discount on the MRP displayed on the EPG. The
maximum price of a channel has been restricted to Rs.19/-
- All providers have to run “Consumer Information channel” preferably on channel No 999
wherein consumer related information, including the prices of channels on a-la-carte and
bouquets have to be revealed, adds the press release
- For all subscribers, TRAI wants them to exercise their options well before January 31, 2019 to
continue to view their favorite channel in order to avoid any last minute inconvenience
I hope this post have helped you to gain knowledge on the new regulations comprising the TV channel
services. Look forward for your feedback /comments for enrichment of information, we vouch to provide
on Netnandid.com platform. Regards, RBG.
References for this post
1. https://main.trai.gov.in/
2. https://channeltariff.trai.gov.in/
3. https://indianexpress.com/article/
4. https://www.news18.com/news/tech/
Disclaimer
The details in this blog post is compiled from the sources mentioned in references, with self-interpretation of the
author. It’s recommended to verify the details if the readers is in dilemma or ambiguity to take cognizance. The
details mentioned herein are susceptible to change or stand invalid, if there is any developments or changes in the
subject.You can also read
