The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India - TRAI's new rules for DTH and cable operators coming into effect on February 1, 2019 and has started sending out text messages to all subscribers about the upcoming changes to television tariffs, which apply to all DTH, local cable operators as well.The new rules mean that the customers has to choose their own 100 or more channels, and pay exactly what the broadcaster is charging for these channels.

The new rules will empower customers to pay for what channels that they watch, rather than rely on pre-decided packs by DTH companies or their local cable operators.

TRAI in its messages to customers has given a link to the channel tariffs and how these will impact your cable TV bill. Here are details.

New TRAI rules for DTH & cable operators.

The idea with these new regulations is to reduce cable television bills and let you, the customer, choose what channels you wish to pay for, rather than getting channels that you do not watch.

Customers can choose their 100 base channels (you can add more to your pack, though that will increase the price) from a range of free to air channels (means MRP is zero), paid channels or the broadcaster bouquets.

The cable TV bill look like after TRAI’s rules come into effect.

The base pack with a network capacity fee of Rs 130 per month will include 100 channels, though this is only for SD (standard definition) channels. In this base pack you can have various combinations. TRAI’s website has a link on how these packs will work, though these are only suggestive packs.

For instance, for the Hindi speaking market, TRAI has put out a suggestive pack which will cost Rs 184 per month, and this includes taxes. The pack has 25 pay channels, 50 free to air channels and 25 DD channels (all free to air). The base network capacity free is Rs 130, then there is extra Rs 26 cost for the paid channels, which is calculated by adding the MRP of all channels.  Finally, 18 per cent GST (which comes to Rs 28) is added to this bill and the total becomes Rs 184.

This pack from TRAI is only an example. The customer has full freedom choose his or her own combinations.   For those who add paid channels in this list of 100, the MRP of all these channels will be added as extra.

To give another example, if your pack of 100 channels has 50 free to air channels, 25 DD channels and the total cost of the remaining 25 paid channels is Rs 79, then the bill is 130+79+18% GST, which comes to Rs 245.62. That’s rounded off to Rs 246 per month.

How can I choose more than 100 channels under new Rule ?

You can choose more than 100 channels for an example, if you have chosen all 100 free to air channels, then your network capacity fee is only Rs 130. Then you add more channels to this list of 100, which will be done in a slab of 25 channels with a maximum network capacity fee of Rs 20 per slab.

Then the total bill will include the base network capacity fee of Rs 130 + Rs 20 fee (for the slab of extra 25 channels) and the total MRP of those of 25 channels along with the 18 per cent GST. For example, if these extra channels cost Rs 50 in total, then your bill will be Rs 130+20+50, which is Rs 200+18% GST, which comes to Rs 236 per month. 

One does not have choose to channels in slabs of 25. A customer can add less than 25 channels also, and then they will be charged a network capacity fee of Rs 1 per channel + taxes for 15 or less channels.

How does one check prices of all channels ?

TRAI’s website has a list of all the prices of all paid channels. Customers can go to TRAI’s website at channeltariff.trai.gov.in and check for the prices of paid channels. All broadcasters have declared prices of each and every channels. TRAI says the maximum price of a channel is now limited to Rs 19.

If you are a Sports fan, and want to know the price of sports channels, then you can search individually in the PDF.  No matter who your DTH or cable provider, they can only charge you the price declared by the broadcaster.

What is the maximum price of channels?

For example, the Star Sports 3 (English and Hindi) channel’s price is listed as Rs 4, while Star Sports Select 2’s price (English and Hindi) is Rs 7, and Star Sports 1 Hindi will cost Rs 19.  If you only want these three paid channels in your pack, then the total comes to Rs 4+7+19, which is Rs 30, plus Rs 130 network capacity fee and 18% GST. Again this bill is assuming that you are adding only three paid channels to your total of 100 channels and rest are all free to air. But you have to choose the 100 channels.

What are these channel bouquets and HD channels?

Channel bouquets have also been created by the broadcasters. What this means is that the broadcaster is clubbing together a few channels from their network for a certain price. In your list of paid channels, you can add this bouquet as well. Again, TRAI’s website has a list of all bouquet packs declared by broadcasters.

Coming to HD channel, adding each will count as 2 SD channels in your total of 100. For example, Star Network has a list of bouquets or packs based on language, HD or SD resolution with a number of channels clubbed together.

How do these work?

The Hindi HD premium pack will cost Rs 120 per month, with several channels like Baby TV HD, Fox Life HD, Movies OK, Nat Geo Wild HD, Star Bharat HD, Star Gold HD, Star Gold Select HD, Star Movies HD, Star Movies Select HD, Star Plus HD, Star Sports 1 HD Hindi, Star Sports 3, Star Sports First, Star Utsav, Star Utsav Movies, Star World HD, Star Sports HD2, National Geographic HD, Star Sports HD1, Star Sports Select HD1, Star Sports Select HD2 and Star World Premiere HD all clubbed together.

The pack has a total of 22 HD channels, which means 44 SD channels, and that leaves the option of 56 other channels in your pack of 100. So if you pick this Rs 120 Star Hindi HD premium pack, then your cost is Rs 120+Rs 130 network capacity fee and 18% per cent GST. Again this is assuming you do not add any other paid channels.

Do I have to choose bouquets?

No. TRAI has stressed users can pick each channel individually or what is called a-la-carte, and not go for bouquet offering from the broadcaster, if they do not like the option. Again whatever option you pick, these will be monthly costs.