TRAI seeks comments on amendment to telecommunication services interconnection regulations

TRAI seeks comments on amendment to telecommunication services interconnection regulations

Comments need to come in by 9 September.

TRAI

MUMBAI: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released the draft Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services Interconnection (Addressable Systems) (Amendment) Regulations, 2019. The authority is seeking comments of all the stakeholders by 9 September 2019.

TRAI has amended the Schedule –III of Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services Interconnection (Addressable Systems) Regulations, 2017. “During the consultation undertaken to prepare the audit manual certain comments and observations reflected some issues in the Schedule III of the Interconnection Regulations 2017,” said TRAI in its release.

It further said, “Accordingly, a draft regulation related to amendment to schedule-III of the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services Interconnection (Addressable Systems) Regulations, 2017, has been issued on the issues related to Digital Rights Management Systems; Transactional capacity of CAS and SMS system; fingerprinting - support for overt and covert fingerprinting in STBs and watermarking network logo for all pay channels.”

A consultation paper on “Interconnection framework for Broadcasting TV Services distributed through Addressable Systems” was issued by TRAI on 4 May 2016. This consultation process resulted in notification of the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services Interconnection (Addressable Systems) Regulations, 2017 (1 of 2017) dated 3 March 2017.

During the consultation undertaken to prepare the audit manual, TRAI noticed certain comments and observations that reflect some issues in the Schedule III of the Interconnection Regulations 2017.