TRAI’s Latest Guidelines Costing More? Though Favourable, 54 Per Cent Users Say They Are Paying More Than Before

A survey conducted by YouGov found that more than 54 per cent of DTH subscribers feel they are paying more than they used to after revising their subscriptions based on the latest guidelines.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had recently issued guidelines to DTH and cable operators allowing subscribers to choose channels that they wish to watch and pay individual prices assigned to those channels.

The survey showed that 9 out of 10 which is around 90 per cent customers are aware of the set guidelines by the TRAI and around 76 per cent of them have had made changes to their channel subscriptions. 3 out of 5 customers feel that the new rules are favourable and helpful to them as end customers.

This change though meant to offer more affordable pricing, has more than half (54 per cent) customers who have made modifications to their existing channel subscription feel that they are paying more than what they paid earlier.

The guidelines, however, are set to increase the viewership of the customers as they spend more time watching desirable content. 2 in 5 feel this move will increase their TV watching time.

YouGov India GM Deepa Bhatia said, “The countrywide implementation of the new regulation is bound to have an impact on viewership and advertisers need to revisit their media plans in accordance with the changing consumer behaviour. Although TV viewing may not change drastically, we see the likelihood of people moving online. Advertisers thus need to carefully align and study how they can reallocate their budgets.”

The move is also expected to increase viewership of original content on OTT platforms like that of Netflix, Hotstar and Amazon Prime.