( 1 December 2005 6:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has announced several measures to protect the interest of consumers.

TRAI guidelines in this regard are given below for awareness of consumers of telecom services:

Tariffs: Pay channels being provided as on 26 December 2003 are frozen at these levels with an escalation of 7 per cent from 1 January 2005 and further 4 per cent on such enhanced tariffs with effect from 1 January 2006.

For additional pay channels/free to air channels converted to pay after 26 December 2003, additional charges are to be paid similar to those existing on 26 December 2003.

The ceiling cable charges shall be reduced in case if the MSO/Cable Operator gives a lesser number of channels compared to what were shown as on 26 December 2003.

Tariff Order on Broadcasting and Cables services of 1 October 2004 as amended by Tariff Order dated 26 December 2003, 1 December 2004 and 29 November 2005.

Disconnection of signals: notice by the Broadcaster/Multi System Operator to the distributor to discontinue signal shall be given in two local newspapers in case the distributor of TV channels is operating in local area and in two national papers in case the distributor of TV channels is providing services in a wide area. Alternatively consumers can be informed through scroll on the concerned channel(s).