iWorld
Trai extends deadline for NTO 2.0 implementation to 1 April 2022
Mumbai: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has extended the deadline for implementation of the new tariff order (NTO) 2.0 to 1 April 2022. The previous deadline was 1 December.
Broadcasters will have to publish new reference interconnection offers (RIOs) to Trai by 31 December and simultaneously publish the required information about channel and bouquet offerings and their MRPs on their websites. The broadcasters who have already submitted their RIOs in compliance with NTO 2.0 can revise their RIOs by 31 December.
The deadline was extended as Trai received representations from many service providers and their associations such as broadcasters, DTH operators, MSOs and DPOs, according to a report by ET. The authority, after considering the concerns expressed by various stakeholders and especially with respect to time frame for migration of subscribers and taking their choice, is of the view that paucity of time should not come in the way of implementation of the new regulatory framework 2020 in seeking informed choices of more than 150 million pay TV consumers.
DPOs will have to obtain an option for subscription of new bouquets or channels from the subscribers in compliance with the provisions of NTO 2.0 from 1 February 2022 to 31 March 2022.
DPOs will have to report the distributor retail price (DRP) of pay channels, composition of bouquet of pay channels/free-to-air channels and DRPs of bouquets of pay channels by 31 January 2022 besides simultaneously publishing the information on their websites.
In June, the Bombay high court in its judgement upheld the NTO 2.0 order by Trai barring the second proviso of the twin conditions. The provision states that a-la-carte rates of pay channels shall not exceed more than three times the average rate of a pay channel of the bouquet of which such pay channel is part. TV broadcasters under the aegis of Indian Broadcasting Digital Foundation (IBDF) had moved to Bombay HC in January challenging the Trai order.
After the Bombay HC pronounced its judgement, broadcasters escalated the matter to the Supreme Court. The final SC hearing is scheduled on 30 November. Meanwhile, Trai directed broadcasters to comply with the Bombay HC judgement and publish new prices of their pay channels and bouquets that comply with the tariff order.
Leading broadcasters including Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Star and Disney India, Sony Pictures Networks India, Network18 Broadcast, Sun TV Network, Discovery Communications and WarnerMedia have published their RIOs effective from 1 December. As per NTO 2.0 provisions, Trai mandated a price cap of Rs 12 on pay channels to be included in a bouquet. To comply with this provision, major broadcasters pulled their popular channels from bouquets but also hiked the prices of these channels.
iWorld
X launches XChat messaging app on iOS with calls and encryption
Standalone app marks shift from “everything app” vision, adds E2E messaging.
MUMBAI: From one big app to many small chats, X seems to be splitting its ambitions. X has rolled out its standalone messaging app, XChat, to iOS users, opening up a new front in its evolving product strategy. The app allows users to connect with existing X contacts through private and group messages, file sharing, as well as audio and video calls. The launch follows a limited beta phase, where the platform tested the product with a smaller user base to refine the experience. Now available publicly, XChat marks a notable pivot from earlier ambitions championed by Elon Musk to turn X into a single “everything app” combining messaging, payments, commerce and more.
Instead, the company under xAI ownership and backed by SpaceX appears to be building a suite of standalone applications, each targeting specific use cases while expanding its broader ecosystem.
At launch, XChat includes end-to-end encrypted messaging, PIN-based access, disappearing messages, and features such as message editing, deletion for all participants, and screenshot blocking. The company has also said the app is free from advertisements and tracking mechanisms, positioning it as a privacy-first alternative in a crowded messaging space.
However, security claims around the platform are likely to face scrutiny. Earlier iterations of XChat drew criticism from experts who argued it fell short of established encrypted platforms like Signal. With the wider rollout, the app is expected to undergo fresh evaluation to assess whether those concerns have been addressed.
Beyond messaging, XChat will also house X’s Communities feature, which is being discontinued on the main platform due to low usage and spam concerns. Migrating these users could provide an early boost to adoption, effectively turning XChat into both a communication and community hub.
The move underscores a broader recalibration at X less about cramming everything into one app, and more about spreading bets across multiple touchpoints, one message at a time.
