Final prices only ascertainable after consumer exercises choice of channels in NTO 2.0: MIB Anurag Thakur

The Minister of Information and Broadcasting Shri Anurag Singh Thakur in a written answer in Rajya Sabha said that the final prices for the consumers can be ascertained only when the choice of channels is exercised by consumers under New Regulatory Framework 2020. The response came in question by Member of Parliament Shri Prabhakar Reddy Vemireddy as to whether consumers would have to shell out 50 per cent more money.

Thakur further informed the MP that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has informed that broadcasters have declared tariffs on their channels as per the provisions of the New Regulatory Framework 2020. He added that broadcasters have declared the Maximum Retail Price of their few popular channels above Rs 12 with such channels offered only on an a-la-carte basis.

The New Regulatory Framework 2020’s recent implementation plan needed distribution platform operators (DPOs) to declare the rates of channels and bouquets offered to the customers by 31st January 2022 followed by offerings being made available to the customers with effect from 1st April 2022.

TRAI however today extended the deadline for implementation of the New Regulatory Framework 2020 keeping in mind the current pandemic situation across the country.