TV sets blackout in India as new rules kick in – and the regulator fuming

• TRAI has sent a show-cause notice to Airtel because of a blackout.
  
• The regulatory authority has rubbished a CRISIL report that stated that cable TV prices would be higher.
  
• Consumers have been complaining of higher prices on social media.

Six days into a new broadcast regime in India, some television sets blacked out.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has sent show-cause notice to satellite TV provider Airtel after complaints.

According to the new pricing model, viewers had the option to choose the individual channels that they would like to subscribe to and pay for those alone.

However, consumers were distressed when the old channels were disconnected while new channels were still not activated.

One of India’s biggest DTH operators – Airtel – has been given three days to explain what happened. Consumers on social media have been complaining about missing channels and no response from customer support.

The introduction of the new cable TV pricing has resulted in chaos and confusion, with consumers complaining of higher prices. A CRISIL report too pointed out that the new pricing model will lead to higher prices.

However, the TRAI chairman has rubbished the reports. Speaking to IANS, Sharma said that the report was based upon an "inadequate understanding" of the TV distribution market and it was incorrect. "The report is based on choosing top-rated channels on all-India basis and considers only one weekly report dated January 25, 2019, from TV Rating Agency, BARC," a TRAI statement said.

See Also:
The top 10 TV channels in India are more expensive now – thanks to TRAI

India’s new cable TV pricing will force broadcasters to put on better shows

TRAI launches app to let people select and pay for only cable channels they want to watch