The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has made amendments to the regulatory framework for broadcasting and cable services. The amendments say that channels which have an MRP of Rs 19 or less will only be permitted to be a part of a bouquet. If the channel is priced above Rs 19, then it will be offered on an a-la-carte basis. Further, a broadcaster can offer a maximum discount of up to 45% while pricing its bouquet of pay channels over the sum of MRPs of all the pay channels in that bouquet. TRAI said, “All the distributors of television channels shall ensure that services to the subscribers, with effect from 1st February 2023, are provided as per the bouquets or channels opted by them.” The regulatory body has also said that discounts offered as an incentive by a broadcaster on the maximum retail price of a pay channel shall be based on a combined subscription of that channel both in a-la-carte as well as in bouquets. The NTO 2.0 will be implemented on February 1, 2023.
