Dish TV CEO Calls for Implementation of TRAI DTH Fee Reduction

The government must right away adopt sectoral regulator Trai's suggestion to lower the licensing fee from the existing 8 percent to 3 percent of Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR), Dish TV CEO Manoj Dobhal stated on Thursday.

He called for the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) to act immediately as it has the ability to propel long-term growth and sustainability of the DTH sector, which is now ailing.

"Implementing Trai's recommendations will unlock greater investment, foster innovation, and improve consumer access to quality services. A forward-looking regulatory approach is crucial for ensuring a competitive and thriving Pay TV ecosystem. We urge the MIB to expedite these much-needed reforms to support the industry's evolution in an increasingly digital landscape," Dobhal said.

He called for the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) to act immediately as it has the ability to propel long-term growth and sustainability of the DTH sector, which is now ailing.

The existing licensing model is putting the DTH industry on a tight rope, jeopardizing the survival of service providers and the entire Pay TV ecosystem, he added.

If left unabated, DTH players will keep grappling with an unsupportable cost structure that caps prices and handicaps industry development, said Dobhal.

"The DTH industry is at a pivotal moment, where decisive policy action can drive long-term sustainability and growth," he said.

When questioned regarding the news of top telecom services provider Bharti Airtel announcing merger discussions with Tata Group for its money-losing Direct-To-Home (DTH) business, Dobhal replied that this is because the sector requires regulatory assistance.

"Tata Play and Airtel exploring the merger, even if there is no confirmation from any of them, the fact that the news is around establishes that the DTH industry needed the regulatory help in ensuring level playing field that would have saved lot of expenses and the same could be put in creating better offerings and a broader digital horizon," he said.

Airtel is in talks with the salt-to-software conglomerate for the combination of Bharti Telemedia, which provides cable and satellite TV services, with Tata Play, as per a regulatory filing of Sunil Bharti Mittal-led company.