[cr-india] TRAI Open House in Delhi and after

[sajan venniyoor]

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Dear all,

The TRAI Open House in Delhi didn't entirely go along predictable lines.

1. Pradeep Baijal, Chairman, TRAI and Rakesh Kacker, Advisor, TRAI said that, while this Consultation was about commercial FM, there had been so many responses regarding Community Radio that they have decided to hold a separate Consultation for CR.

2. Rakesh Kacker asked all Community Radio groups to send in their comments, suggestions, recommendations etc, on the basis of which TRAI would prepare a Consultation Paper within a month. Our suggestions would have to be sent in within a week (presumably to Secretary TRAI or Advisor (B&CS) on trai07 at bol.net.in (Ph.No.26167448) and rkacker at trai.gov.in (Ph.No.26713291) respectively). The Chairman added that once our suggestions are received, the Consultation Paper may be prepared in a matter of days.

3. Based on the Consultation Paper, they said they would hold Open House discussions on Community Radio at the earliest.
 
4. Dr. Vinod Sena raised the issue of Radio for people with disability, especially those with visual disability. The Chairman said that TRAI is examining only carriage issues and not content. For content, he said, you have to approach the Ministry.

5. Arun Mehta introduced the idea of Very Low Power FM. AK Bhatnagar, Advisor, TRAI agreed that there could be a range of transmitter power for FM channels, but perhaps not Very Low Power transmitters. 

6. A commercial operator objected to a large number of FM services in one area saying that, due to the poor quality of some radio receivers, there would be interference between channels. Arun Mehta made the point, which was endorsed by TRAI, that the quality of radio receivers should not be a criterion for frequency allotment. When more FM channels become available, the quality of receivers would improve automatically due to demand.

7. Dr. Mehta also raised the issue of Datacasting on FM Channels. Mr. Bhatnagar agreed that it was a good suggestion. It was not permitted in Phase-I, but if TRAI finds it feasible, then datacasting on FM channels could be considered in Phase-II. TRAI agreed that if it was possible, it should be permissible. However, they added that datacasting services on FM should not get into litigation with existing services like SMS or Paging.

One or two other issues relating to commerical FM were also discussed, but nothing of substance.

Please send in your suggestions and recommendations on CR Policy to TRAI over the next few days. That will form the basis of their Consultation Paper on CR.

Sajan.



Sajan Venniyoor
Ph: 91-11-23070716 (Off)
Ph: 91-11-30901279, 55656187 (Res)
Ph: 0-9818453483 (Cell)