NEW DELHI: The information and broadcasting ministry has decided to refer to the electronics and information technology ministry and the Bureau of Indian Standards the issue of ensuring interoperability of set-top boxes for the direct to home industry.
Minister of State for I and B Rajyavardhan Rathore told the Parliament that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had on 23 July 2014 recommended replacement of license condition at clause 7.1 of the existing DTH guidelines.
The clause stipulates that “The Open Architecture (Non-proprietary) Set Top Box (STB), which will ensure technical compatibility and effective interoperability among different DTH service providers shall have such specifications as laid down by the Government from time to time” and TRAI in its recommendations on “Issues relating to New DTH Licenses” wanted the clause to read: “The STB offered by a DTH service provider shall have such specifications as laid down by the BIS from time to time.”
TRAI further recommended that BIS should come out with updated specifications for STBs from time to time and while doing so, BIS shall consult TRAI and that the license conditions should mandate the licensee to comply with the tariff order/scheme prescribed by TRAI for commercial interoperability.
As reported in mid-December 2016, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) had failed to come out with specifications with regard to interoperability of STBs (set-top boxes) meant for DTH (direct-to-home) platforms.
An information and broadcasting ministry source was answering a question by indiantelevision.com in response to a reply in the Parliament.
The minister had said the ministry had accepted recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) that it should work with the BIS and the Department of Electronics and IT to ensure such set-top boxes.
Also Read:
http://www.indiantelevision.com/dth/dth-services/no-bis-specification-yet-for-interoperable-dth-boxes-161210
http://www.indiantelevision.com/specials/year-enders/the-growth-of-dth-in-india-170116
