MUMBAI: Telecom’s watchdog Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is cracking the whip on India’s cable TV sector players. The regulator yesterday issued a cautionary note to India’s MSOs (multisystem operators) and LCOs (local cable operators) to get their act together on written interconnection agreements.

And it warned them if them of dire consequences punishable under the TRAI

It warned the former to supply TV signals to the latter only if the two have signed interconnection agreements. It has given the two a deadline of 15 days to sign their contracts with the MSO being given the responsibility of handing over the agreement to the LCO and getting its acknowledgement of receipt.

The Trai warned MSOs to stop flirting with LCOs by offering them signals without a written interconnection agreement in place, failing which punishment under the TRAI act would follow.

The Trai has also drawn up and issued the formats of a model interconnection agreement (MIA) and standard interconnection agreement (SIA) which have to be entered into by the two. The MIA can be used by the two if they agree to terms mutually in a structured manner according to regulations. If they fail to reach a conclusion under the MIA, they could use the SIA which provides standard terms and conditions prescribed by the regulations