Govt likely to revise DTH licensing norms: Report

[rahul1117kumar]

Direct-to-home (DTH) operators are likely to have new licensing norms and their licence period could be extended.

The licence fee is also likely to be revised. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had recommended the annual licence fee to be reduced to 8% of adjusted gross revenue (AGR).

The Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry is likely to change the licensing norms for DTH operators, increasing the validity period of the licence and reducing the annual fee, Mint reported.

The I&B ministry has broadly accepted recommendations of TRAI, according to the report by the business daily. TRAI had proposed increasing licence duration of DTH firms to 20 years.

Currently, DTH companies are required to pay 10% of their gross revenue as annual licence fee. The matter is legally contested by the DTH firms.

“The ministry has accepted our recommendations and will soon amend the DTH guidelines with the approval of the cabinet,” Mint quoted a TRAI official as having said.

As reported earlier by TelevisionPost.com, the government received Rs 747.78 crore (Rs 7.48 billion) as licence fee from the private DTH operators in 2016-17. The MIB has received Rs 2,400.45 crore (Rs 24.01 billion) as licence fee from the private DTH operators in the last three financial years.

Govt likely to revise DTH licensing norms: Report | TelevisionPost.com

 

[Bapun]

Govt likely to revise DTH licensing norms

MUMBAI: Direct-to-home (DTH) operators are likely to have new licensing norms and their licence period could be extended. The licence fee is also likely to be revised. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had recommended the annual licence fee to be reduced to 8% of adjusted gross revenue (AGR). The Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry is likely to change the licensing norms for DTH operators, increasing the validity period of the licence and reducing the annual fee, Mint reported. The I&B ministry has broadly accepted recommendations of TRAI, according to the report by the business daily. TRAI had proposed increasing licence duration of DTH firms to 20 years. Currently, DTH companies are required to pay 10% of their gross revenue as annual licence fee. The matter is legally contested by the DTH firms. “The ministry has accepted our recommendations and will soon amend the DTH guidelines with the approval of the cabinet,” Mint quoted a TRAI official as having said. As reported earlier by TelevisionPost.com, the government received Rs 747.78 crore (Rs 7.48 billion) as licence fee from the private DTH operators in 2016-17. The MIB has received Rs 2,400.45 crore (Rs 24.01 billion) as licence fee from the private DTH operators in the last three financial years.

Govt likely to revise DTH licensing norms: Report | TelevisionPost.com