(10 October 2006 6:55 pm)

NEW DELHI: Indian broadcast regulator today came out with more details on quality of service (QoS) to be observed by MSOs and local cable operators in CAS-notified areas.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has said the reporting (in the prescribed format) of QoS by approved MSOs and local cable ops shall be done on or before the expiry of 15 days from the end of the quarters and shall pertain to the
quarters ending with 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December of each calendar year.

Further, in the case of Chennai, the first reporting shall be for the quarter ending December 2006 and in case of notified areas of Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata, it shall be for the quarter ending 31 March, 2007.

Trai had issued Regulation specifying standards of Quality of Service to be observed by the MSOs and cable operators in CAS notified areas of Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata on 23 August 2006.

This regulation provided that Trai, for the purpose of monitoring, can prescribe formats and demand reports from service providers on observance of QoS standards.

Further, in MSOs who are permitted to provide cable service in CAS notified areas under the Cable Amendment Rules of 2006 would be obliged to maintain quality of standards as may be determined by the regulator.

A full text of the general directive is available on the regulator’s website.