Operational guidelines in respect of ‘License Fee’, ‘Platform Services’ & ‘Sharing of Infrastructure’ for DTH services in India

way2barak, Sept.16: In furtherance of the amended DTH Guidelines issued on 30^th December, 2020; this Ministry has issued the operational guidelines for Direct To Home (DTH) services in India. These Guidelines provide the operational framework in respect to the payment of license fee, platform services (PS) channels and sharing of infrastructure by DTH operators.

As regard to the payment of license fee by DTH Operators, the guidelines define the schedule for its quarterly payment.

In respect to platform service (PS) channels, the Guidelines provide the definition for the ‘platform services’ and lays down the norms for the DTH operators in running the platform services which inter-alia includes that:

• The total number of permitted PS channels per operator is to be capped to 5% of the total channel carriage capacity.
• All PS to carry a caption as ‘Platform Services’ to distinguish them from the linear channels.
• The Content of the PS to be exclusive to the platform and is not to be shared directly or indirectly with any other Distribution Platform Operator.
• All PS channels to be placed together under genre ‘Platform Services’ in the Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) along with their Maximum Retail Price and option for activation / de-activation of PS as per the applicable orders / directions / regulation(s) of TRAI.

In respect of the sharing of infrastructure by the DTH operator, the operational guidelines provide the framework in which the sharing may be regulated, lays down the procedures for accountability and compliance and defines individual responsibilities of the sharing parties.

These operational guidelines have come into effect from the date of the issue of the order i.e. 16^th September, 2022.