Facing OTT heat, DTH operators seek pricing freedom; urge Trai for telecom sector-like forbearance

Facing competition from over-the-top channels, direct-to-home (DTH) operators like Bharti Airtel, Tata Play, Dish TV, and others are seeking a telecom sector-like tariff forbearance to price their offerings.

Tariff forbearance is generally provided by regulators when it is felt that competition is high and the industry has matured in terms of pricing its offerings. Operators are free in such cases to set tariffs without any prior approval from the regulator, which in this case is the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. However, operators need to file their tariffs within a week after implementation and if the regulator feels that changes need to be made, directions are issued.