The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (‘TRAI’) has, on November 22, 2022, issued the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services Interconnection (Addressable Systems) (Fourth Amendment) Regulations, 2022 (‘Interconnection Amendment’) and the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services (Eighth) (Addressable Systems) Tariff (Third Amendment) Order, 2022 (‘Tariff Order Amendment’). These amendments have introduced a number of changes to the broadcast tariff regime, including the following:

i.     An increase in the maximum retail price from ₹12 (Indian rupees twelve) to ₹19 (Indian rupees nineteen), in order for a pay channel to be included as a part of a bouquet; a discount cap of 45% on the maximum discount at which a broadcaster can offer a bouquet of pay channels (relative to the aggregate maximum retail prices of all pay channels forming a part of the bouquet, on an a-la-carte basis); and the ability to offer discounts (to distributors) of up to 15% (fifteen percent) on the maximum retail prices of pay channels or bouquets of pay channels; and

ii.    Reporting requirements that require broadcasters to report to TRAI, and publish on their websites, amendments made pursuant to the Interconnection Amendment and Tariff Order Amendment, in the manner and by the timelines prescribed; and to revise their reference interconnection offers for such amendments.