Multi-system operators (MSOs) had planned to enter into fixed fee deals with broadcasters to keep their content costs under control in the cable digitisation era. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has, however, disallowed tbis in its tariff order for digital addressable cable, while DTH can do volume deals with broadcasters till Trai comes out with regulations for them.
"No service provider shall demand from any other service provider a minimum guaranteed amount as subscription fee for the channels provided by such service provider," the Telecommunication (Broadcasting And Cable Services) Interconnection (Digital Addressable Cable Television Systems) Regulations 2012 states.
