Trai gets ready for new job

May rope in consultants to monitor broadcasting sector

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) may expand its existing team and rope in consultants in order to take on the additional responsibility of regulating the broadcasting and cable services sector.

The regulator, which de-facto has become the super regulator envisaged in the Convergence Bill, is also expected to issue a consultation paper on the controversial issue of Conditional Access System.

Pradip Baijal, chairman, Trai, said, "We will hold discussions with experts in the area of broadcasting to seek their advice on the way forward. We will also invite industry players to know their opinion, just like we have been doing in the telecom sector."

The government's decision to give Trai the responsibility comes as a boost to Baijal and his team, who had initially come under heavy fire for allowing the unification of cellular and basic operators.

"Despite the initial criticism, we have been able to put the telecom sector on track. The policies have accorded consumer interest the top priority," Baijal said. The present Trai set-up however does not have much expertise in the broadcasting sector. The Trai board either has economists, bureaucrats or telecom experts.

According to officials, experts from Prasar Bharti may be roped in. They said with critical issues like spectrum, number portability, broadband policy and unification of all telecom licences still pending in the telecom sector, Trai would have to expand its team.

In the broadcasting sector, Trai will monitor pay channel prices and regulate advertising on pay channels.

Trai will also look into technological improvement in service by stakeholders, ensure compliance of terms and conditions of licence, technical compatibility and will act as an interface between different service providers and regulate revenue sharing arrangements in broadcasting and cable services.