TRAI Amendments : DTH/cable bills may fall by up to 14%: ICRA

New Delhi: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai)'s amendments to the new regulatory framework for cable and broadcasting services could potentially lower DTH/cable bills by up to 14 per cent from the present levels, rating agency Icra said on Tuesday.

Last week, the broadcast regulator amended the new regulatory framework for cable and broadcasting services under which cable TV users will be able to access more channels at lower subscription price.

These changes come into effect from March 1. The regulator capped at Rs 160 the amount consumers will have to pay monthly for all free to air channels and reduced the maximum Network Capacity Fee (NCF) to Rs 130 (excluding taxes) for 200 channels.

"These changes in tariff could potentially lower the direct-to-home (DTH)/cable bills of the subscribers by up to 14 per cent from the present levels and encourage subscribers to exercise their right to choose and opt for a-la-carte channels," Icra said.

It noted that the tariff order of 2017 had aimed at giving the subscribers their right to choose by mandating the broadcasters to declare the nature of channels as free to air (FTA) or pay channel as well as declare a-la-carte pricing of all channels.