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DPOs suggest changes to draft interconnection addressable regulations by TRAI
MUMBAI: Distribution platform operators (DPOs) have shared their comments to modify Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)’s draft on The Telecommunication (Broadcasting And Cable) Services Interconnection (Addressable Systems) (Amendment) Regulations, 2019. The industry has welcomed TRAI’s move to amend Schedule III of the regulation and believes that provisions related to watermarking, fingerprinting and digital rights management along with CAS and SMS is in right direction.
AIDCF said, “It is submitted that the provisions relating to watermarking, fingerprinting and digital rights management along with CAS and SMS, is a step in the right direction and AIDCF wholeheartedly supports the same. With respect to amendments proposed to be introduced by TRAI in the schedule III of the Interconnection Amendment Regulations 2019, AIDCF stands in agreement with the same and supports TRAI in bringing about the amendments in the regulations.”
However, Bharti Telemedia (Airtel), Tata Sky and GTPL recommended a few changes in the draft of interconnection addressable regulations.
Airtel, with regard to Section C Clause 8 of the regulation, recommended that the capacity of the CAS and SMS should be linked to the volume of transactions rather than the subscriber base. The rationale for the same is that each subscriber can generate multiple volumes of transactions and hence, to handle these transactions of a single customer, the system is equally consumed and therefore, the correct assessment of the system capacity should be linked to the transaction count instead of subscriber base.
It further commented “The subscriber base may not be the appropriate criteria to assess the capacity of CAS and SMS, more so, in the current framework when a single customer can generate more than one transaction in terms of activation/deactivation of channel, recharge etc. We, therefore, suggest that the criteria of 5 per cent should be measured in context to total volume of transactions.”
The company in its comments to TRAI also raised concern over generating customised bills. It said, “We submit that the requirement of generation of bills is applicable for the post-paid services and we, therefore, suggest that clause must specify the same to avoid any confusion.”
Similarly, Tata Sky also expressed that bill generation is a postpaid concept. DTH operators do not have a postpaid platform and are completely prepaid. “Therefore, it is suggested that a suitable clarification be inserted in the regulations as well as the audit manual to avoid any understanding gap between the DTH operators and the auditors,” said Tata Sky.
Tata Sky also suggested, “The STBs and VCs are issued against a CAF to a subscriber and the subscriber's address is captured in our systems. Consequently, the auditor can check our systems on a random sample basis, however, we will not hand-over our entire database along with addresses to the auditor in compliance with this requirement. We would, therefore, suggest that a suitable clarification be inserted in the regulations as well as the audit manual to avoid any understanding gap between the DPO and the auditors.”
The draft’s Clause 12(a) & 12(c) states that it is mandated that amongst other things SMS should also be capable of viewing and printing of historical data in terms of the activations and the deactivations of STBs and generating historical data of changes in the subscriptions for each subscriber and the corresponding source of requests made by the subscriber.
GTPL on the same commented, “It has been observed in the past audits that the auditors have demanded generation of such historical data for all subscribers and from inception which has put undue stress on the systems of the distributors and the resultant inconvenience to the customers. It is suggested that the Authority limit the generation of historical data to reasonable percentage of the total as a sample size. We suggest a sample size of 5 per cent of the active sub base for platforms which have more than 5,00,000 average active subscribers while for platforms which have a lesser active subscriber base the sample size can be 25 per cent.”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
