'Pay channels must be given on a la carte basis'

Giving a final road map for interconnection agreement between broadcasters and DTH operators, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on Friday made it mandatory for broadcasters to offer pay channels on a-la-carte basis, in addition to bouquets.

The broadcasters will offer the same bouquets to the DTH operators as are being offered by them for non-CAS cable distribution. In addition, they are free to offer additional bouquets, Trai said in a statement.

The rates of bouquets and a-la-carte rates of pay channels so offered to the DTH operators will be 50 per cent of the rates at which these bouquets/channels are being offered for non-CAS cable distribution, it added.

This is in consonance with the TDSAT's judgement dated in March, 2007, it said, adding all bouquet rates and the a-la-carte rates must satisfy the provisions of the aforesaid interconnection regulations.

Trai also made public the a-la-carte and bouquet rates of pay channels, as reported by the broadcasters for cable TV operations in non-CAS, which it said would facilitate and expedite the conclusion of interconnection agreements among the broadcasters and DTH operators.