No BIS specification yet for interoperable DTH boxes

No BIS specification yet for interoperable DTH boxes

DTH

NEW DELHI: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) had so far failed to come out with specifications with regard to interoperability of STBs (set-top boxes) meant for DTH (direct-to-home) platforms.

An information and broadcasting ministry source was answering a question by indiantelevision.com in response to a reply in the Parliament given by the minister of state Rajyavardhan Rathore.

The minister had said the ministry had accepted recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) that it should work with the BIS and the Department of Electronics and IT to ensure such set-top boxes.

TRAI, in July 2014, on “Issues relating to New DTH Licenses” said: “The Open Architecture (Non-proprietary) Set Top Box (STB), which will ensure technical compatibility and effective interoperability among different DTH service providers, shall have such specifications as laid down by the Government from time to time” with “The Set Top Box offered by a DTH service provider shall have such specifications as laid down by the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) from time to time.”

TRAI recommended that BIS should come out with updated specifications for STBs from time to time and while doing so, BIS will consult TRAI and that the license conditions should mandate the licensee to comply with the tariff order/scheme prescribed by TRAI for commercial interoperability.

In the paper, the Authority had said that STB interoperability was not possible because of the different technologies adopted by the operators due to them entering the market at different times. TRAI thus asked the BIS to regularly keep updating the standard of STB technology.

Then I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar had told the Parliament on 24 July 2014 that the interoperability of DTH customer premises equipment has not so far proved to be effective due to various techno-economic reasons. The interoperability had been envisaged in the DTH licence conditions, he said.

The portability in DTH service can be achieved through technical interoperability or through commercial interoperability.