(19 May 2008 4:00 pm)

NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India today initiated a consultation process on the draft Satellite Radio policy, which envisages two types of licenses: one for providing the satellite radio service for carriage and broadcasting of channels and the other that entitles the licensee to register the radio channels it carries on its platform.

A press statement from the sector regulator says that consultation is on the draft policy as proposed by the information and broadcasting ministry.

Trai says it had brought out a consultation paper on issues relating to Satellite Radio Services on 29 December, 2004, and also held an Open House Discussion on February 11, 2005.

Based on the responses received from various stakeholders, Trai had sent its recommendations on "Issues relating to Satellite Radio Service" to the government on 27 June, 2005.

The I&B ministry has informed that the recommendations made by Trai have been accepted with some modifications.

Accordingly, the ministry has framed the draft Satellite Radio Policy Guidelines, for which it has sought the regulator's comments.

The draft policy guidelines make a distinction between provision of satellite radio service (i.e., carriage of radio channels) and provision of content (radio channels) to such satellite radio service providers.

Some of the issues covered in the guidelines are eligibility criteria, period of license, entry fee and annual license fee, bank guarantee, basic conditions & obligations, technical standards, monitoring, inspection, value added services, terrestrial repeaters, termination of license, WPC wing's license, procedure for application, disputes and jurisdiction.

"Given its significance, the Authority has decided to place the draft satellite radio policy guidelines with suggested changes on its website for information of stakeholders, who may offer comments, if any, by 26 May, 2008," the statement says.