(12 May 2009 3:35 pm)

NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has extended the last date for seeking views regarding value-added-services (such as movie-on-demand, pay-per-view), platform services (such as active learning, active stories) and carriage of radio channels on the direct-to-home platform to 18 May.

The consultation paper on ‘DTH issues relating to tariff Regulation and new issues’ following the reference from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry was issued on 6 March and the last date for submission of 30 March was subsequently extended to 14 April and then to 24 April on the request of stakeholders and the complexity of the subject.

The Authority also scheduled Open House discussions on the subject on 29 April at New Delhi and on 5 May at Pune.

Meanwhile, special leave petitions were filed in the Supreme Court on behalf of Star Den Media Services, MSM Discovery India and Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) against the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court by which the Authority was directed to decide on the representation of Tata Sky Limited.

The apex court on 4 May directed Trai to proceed with its consultation paper uninfluenced by the views expressed by the High Court. During the hearing before the Supreme Court, some of the stakeholders had raised the question of sufficient opportunity being given to them to respond to the consultation paper.

The issues falling under the ambit of debate include carriage fee, tariff between broadcasters and DTH operators and their subscribers. Questions such as the need for a cap on carriage fee across the DTH operators have also been raised.

The regulator wants stakeholders to comment on whether tariff regulation for DTH at wholesale level should be in terms of laying down relationship between the prices of channels/ bouquets for non-addressable platforms and the prices of such channels/ bouquets for DTH platform.

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