Good news for Direct-to-Home (DTH) subscribers - Considering the many grievances that subscribers have with regards to the DTH operators, TRAI, or Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, has made some amendments in the Quality of Service and Redressal of Grievances regulations for DTH Services.
This calls for DTH subscribers to know about the following new rules.
1. No visiting or repair and maintenance charges of DTH equipment during warranty period.
TRAI: The DTH operators have been prohibited from charging any fee towards visiting charges or repair and maintenance charges of DTH Consumer Premises Equipment during the period of warranty for such DTH Consumer Premises Equipment acquired on outright purchase basis.
2. The DTH operators cannot alter the subscription package during the first 6 months, or till validity expiry, of a subscriber's enrollment.
TRAI: The DTH operators have been prohibited from changing the composition of their subscription packages during first six months of enrolment to the subscription package or during the period of validity of a prepaid subscription package, whichever is longer.
3. In case a channel is removed from a subscription package in the first 6 months of enrollment, the DTH operator must reduce the price proportionately, or replace the removed channel with one of the same genre and language.
TRAI: The DTH operators have been mandated to proportionately reduce the subscription charges for a package from which any channel is removed for first six months of enrolment or during the period of validity of a prepaid subscription package, whichever is longer or to replace the channel with a channel of same genre and language.
4. The option of choosing the package with reduced charges or the package with replaced channel has been given to the subscriber.
5. In case a removed channel needs to be replaced, the replacement option will be in the hands of the DTH operator.
TRAI: Option to select the channel of the same genre and language in a subscription package to replace a channel which has become unavailable on the DTH platform, has been given to the DTH operator.
6. Your DTH operator needs to give a prior notice of fifteen days to you before changing the composition of any subscription package.
7. Subscribers are allowed to request their DTH operator to suspend their services for up to 3 months. However, this suspension period should not comprise the same calendar month.
TRAI: DTH operators have been mandated to entertain requests of DTH subscribers for suspension of services if requested period of suspension does not exceed three calendar months and does not comprise part of a calendar month
The above rules are compulsory for DTH operators to adhere to.
Ever since DTH services rolled out in India, the number of DTH subscribers has risen to about 11 million with 6 DTH players in the market. These amendments have been made by TRAI keeping in mind the interests of the growing number of subscribers of DTH services.
The Direct To Home Broadcasting Services (Standards Of Quality Of Service And Redressal Of Grievances) (Amendment) Regulations.
