In a new ruling aimed at direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television operators, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has stated that all set top boxes (STBs) provided to customers will have to be mandatorily interoperable. In other words, no matter which DTH operator a user subscribes to, the STB provided with the connection must not be linked to one particular operator, as is the state of the industry right now. TRAI has further stated that the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) may also amend the erstwhile rules set for India's satellite TV operators, in a bid to compulsorily facilitate interoperability. The interoperability norms will come into effect once the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown is lifted.
However, the move appears to have attracted considerable opposition from major DTH operators in India. A report on the matter by CNBC-TV18 quoted a Tata Sky representative, who said, "It is not desirable to have interoperable STBs for the commercial, technical, security and service-related reasons. There is no proven global model of interoperability available. It is anticipated that interoperable STBs would turn out to be a much more expensive proposition for the subscribers. Also, the interoperable STB would stifle individual operator’s ability to innovate."
Fellow operator Dish TV has also echoed similar sentiments as an immediate response to the TRAI ruling, stating that the idea of interoperability of STBs is "highly misplaced" and will cause "difficulty in operations". As a user, such a ruling effectively means that the same STB can be used to switch from one operator to another. However, it is not yet clear as to how the STBs will be procured. So far, the boxes are provided by operators against a one-time fee, which adds to their revenue stream as well. Doing away with that may put both users and operators in a tight spot in terms of cost effectiveness of TV services.
However, TRAI's decision appears to have been rolled out in concrete footing. In light of its ruling, the I&B ministry and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) have been asked to coordinate and roll out a ruling that compulsorily requires all television sets sold in India to come with USB ports and facilitate the use of interoperable (and possibly even 'smart') STBs. With the rise in smart TV sets and connection-ready TVs even in budget segments, facilitating such a move would seem easy for new TV buyers. However, in light of the economic slowdown, it remains to be seen if millions of older TV set owners would find it acceptable if they are mandated to upgrade their STBs and TVs.
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