Trai recommends 10-year renewal for multi-system operators’ registrations

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Thursday recommended that the renewal of registration of multi-system operators (MSOs), who are master cable operators, should be done for a 10-year period and the process fee kept at Rs 1 lakh.

The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had asked for TRAI recommendations on the matter, since the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994, did not have a provision for the renewal of MSO registrations, the regulator said on Thursday.

“The authority recommends that all such registrations, which have either expired or are about to expire within the next eight months from the date of implementation of the decision of MIB with respect to the renewal of the MSOs registration, should be deemed to expire after eight months from the date of implementation of the rules/guidelines for renewal,” TRAI said.