Regulators
TRAI moves to regulate free streaming TV apps
India’s telecom watchdog wants app-based linear TV services brought to heel on content accountability and consumer protection
NEW DELHI: India’s telecom regulator has trained its sights on a fast-growing corner of the broadcasting market that has so far operated in a regulatory grey zone. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released a consultation paper on Monday seeking to build a formal regulatory framework for application-based linear television distribution (ALTD) services, a category that includes free ad-supported streaming television, better known as FAST services.
The move follows a reference from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, made on 15th December 2025 under Section 11(1)(a) of the TRAI Act 1997, asking the regulator to examine and recommend rules for FAST services with a focus on three things: parity with existing broadcasting platforms, content accountability and consumer protection.
ALTD services cover a broad and booming segment: apps that deliver live, linear TV channels to viewers, whether pre-installed on smart television sets and other devices, downloaded as mobile or smart TV applications, or accessed through web browsers. As these platforms have multiplied, they have done so largely without the licensing and content obligations that govern traditional cable and satellite broadcasters, a gap that regulators are now keen to close.
The consultation paper puts two sets of questions on the table. The first concerns the terms and conditions under which application providers should be authorised to offer ALTD services. The second addresses the obligations that broadcasters, content providers and aggregators must meet when placing linear TV channels on these platforms.
Stakeholders have until 4th May 2026 to submit written comments and until May 18th to file counter-comments, preferably by email to advbcs-2@trai.gov.in and jtadvisor-bcs@trai.gov.in. The full text of the consultation paper is available on TRAI’s website at www.trai.gov.in. For clarifications, Deepali Sharma, advisor (B&CS) at TRAI, can be reached at +91-11-20907774.
India’s streaming market has exploded in recent years, and FAST channels, which cost viewers nothing and are funded by advertising, have emerged as a potent vehicle for reaching mass audiences on connected televisions. Regulators the world over are scrambling to catch up. TRAI has now made clear it does not intend to be left behind.
Regulators
NCF fee sparks consumer backlash over TV pricing and access
84.7 percent oppose NCF on free channels, 57 percent report higher bills.
MUMBAI: For many viewers, the real drama on television may be the bill, not the show. A report by the Esya Centre has found that the Network Capacity Fee (NCF) is widely perceived as an unfair charge, shaping how consumers engage with television services in India. While television itself continues to score well with audiences around 70 percent of respondents reported satisfaction with content quality, the dissatisfaction lies squarely with pricing. As many as 84.7 percent of respondents said they were unhappy paying the NCF for free-to-air channels, highlighting a disconnect between cost and perceived value.
Introduced at Rs 130 for access to a base set of channels, the NCF was later deregulated, allowing distributors to set it independently under the framework of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The study argues that such fixed charges, especially when increased without corresponding service improvements, tend to reduce consumer welfare rather than enhance efficiency.
The numbers underline the frustration. Around 68 percent of respondents said they do not understand how the NCF is calculated, while 94 percent consider it unfair. More than half 57 percent reported higher monthly expenses under the current pricing system, and a striking 96 percent said they would be more satisfied if the existing framework were removed.
Rather than being seen as a value-linked service fee, the NCF is widely viewed as a mandatory “access toll”, a cost consumers must bear simply to enter the television ecosystem. The report notes that viewers do not associate the fee with better service quality or greater choice, reinforcing the perception that it adds cost without adding value.
This has broader implications for market participation. Fixed charges like the NCF, the study suggests, influence whether consumers subscribe at all. When such costs rise, users are more likely to opt out rather than adjust their viewing habits, potentially shrinking the market.
In effect, the current pricing design appears to redistribute value within the system rather than improve it for consumers. The findings point to a growing sentiment that the NCF is less about enabling access and more about shaping it, often at the viewer’s expense.
