Mumbai: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has extended the deadline to receive comments & counter comments on the consultation paper ‘renewal of multi-system operators (MSOs) registration’. Stakeholders can submit their written comments by 24 August and their counter comments by 31 August.

Trai decided to delay the deadline after stakeholders sought an extension of time for sending their comments on the consultation paper, however, no further requests for extension would be considered, it said.

The consultation paper seeks the comments of MSOs on relevant issues about renewal of MSO registration including the quantum fee to be paid for such renewal.

The key issues addressed in the consultation paper are 1) what should be the qualifying conditions, if any, to be prescribed for MSO renewal? 2) list of necessary compliances for renewal of MSO registration 3) period of renewal 4) whether a one-time fee should be levied at the time of renewal? 5) should there be a window to apply for renewal before expiry of MSO registration? 6) provision to ensure continuity of service to consumers on expiry of registration.

The ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) plans to revise the policy guidelines regarding the renewal period of MSOs to maintain uniformity with the direct-to-home (DTH) and broadcasting sector. It has proposed to keep the renewal period for MSO registration after every ten years.

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