Essel Group-owned Multi-System Operator (MSO) Siti Network and Tamil Nadu based Multi-System Operator (MSO) Thamizhaga Cable TV Communication Pvt Ltd, (TCCL) have published their revised Network Capacity Fee (NCF) in line with Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Tariff Amendment Order 2020.
According to the listing on Siti Network and TCCL website, the network capacity fee for the initial 200 Standard Definition (SD) channels is Rs 130 excluding taxes. The network capacity fee for more than 200 Standard Definition (SD) channels is Rs 160 excluding taxes.
As per regulations, for determination of channel count 1 HD channel is equivalent to 2 SD channels. Multi TV NCF for each additional TV connection, beyond the first TV connection in a multi TV home, shall be forty percent of the network capacity fee of the parent STB. The STB with the maximum number of channels will be treated as the parent STB.
Mandatory television channels notified by the Central Government will be available to all subscribers in addition to the number of channels available in the network capacity fee. TCCL announced its revised NCF on 18th February, five days after TRAI issued a direction regarding the implementation of Tariff Amendment Order 2020. Siti Network has also recently only revised its network capacity fee.
Tariff Amendment Order 2020 is scheduled to come into force from 1st March 2020 and several preparatory activities are to be carried out for a smooth transition which still hasn’t been done. Jaya TV Network to date remains the only broadcaster to have published its revised bouquets in line with the revised regulations while Siti Network and TCCL remain the only 2 DPOs to have revised their network capacity fee. With only 3 days left for March 1, TRAI in all likelihood will have to push the transition date given neither the broadcasters nor the distribution platform operators (DPOs) are in no mood to implement the Tariff Amendment Order 2020.
