NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has asked stakeholders to give their opinion on whether the tariff model for Headend-In-The-Sky (HITS) should be based on the DTH, conditional access system (Cas), or non-Cas system.

In a consultation paper on “Interconnection and Tariff issues related to HITS services” consequent to the guidelines for providing HITS broadcasting service in India issued by the Government on 26 November 2009, Trai has also sought to know how the tariff model will be regulated and the views of the stakeholders on carriage and placement fee.
 
The consultation paper follows the Information and Broadcasting Ministry’s reference to Trai on 10 December last to revisit the Interconnection Regulations and issue tariff orders for promotion of HITS services.

The Authority has invited all stakeholders to respond to the issues raised in the consultation paper by 26 April.

Among other things, Trai also wants to know the revenue shares of broadcaster, HITS operator, and cable operator, the retail tariff for subscribers for pay channels, and whether there should be any minimum tariff for the subscribers. 
 
Suggestions have also been sought on any other model to regulate the tariff for HITS service, and whether the quantum of carriage and placement fee should be linked to some parameters. Stakeholders have also been asked to give their views on putting a cap on the quantum of carriage and placement fee and how this will be fixed.

Stakeholders have been asked to suggest any further amendments to implement HITS policy.