Important CCI's clean chit to Tata Sky & Reliance Digital TV on interoperability Case

[Xen]

Competition regulator CCI clearing DTH operators including Tata Sky and Reliance Big TV of charges of market dominance abuse in the set-top boxes case has been challenged by a consumer rights group.

The Competition Commission of India's March 2011 order closing proceedings against the Direct-to-Home operators over denial of interoperability to customers by changing Conditional Access Module (CAM) cards has been challenged by Consumer Online Foundation (COF).

The tribunal listed the matter for hearing on September 5.

The CCI said that there are techno-economic issues involved in making STBs interoperable. Moreover, the price of a CAM card, which is scarce in the market, is much higher than the price of a STB.

"We see no reason as to why the DTH operators should not give clear choice to subscribers to outright purchase, hire-purchase or rent the STB as mandated under the Direct to Home Broadcasting Services (Standards of Quality of Service and Redressal of Grievances) Regulations, 2007," said CCI.

It had ruled out that there was a collusive agreement between the DTH operators for not allowing interoperability.

BS