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India’s Telecommunication Services Interconnection Regulations 2025 (draft) were released by TRAI on September 22, 2025, focuses on strengthening audit, compliance, and infrastructure-sharing norms between broadcasters and distributors, especially for addressable cable and broadcasting systems.
 
Applicability and Timeline

• The regulations apply throughout India and are set to come into effect from April 1, 2026.
• Written comments from stakeholders on the draft are invited by October 6, 2025.

Key Changes Proposed

• Audit Cycle: Mandatory annual audits for distributors, now based on the financial year (not the calendar year).
• Audit Reports: Reports must cover systems like SMS, CAS, DRM for the preceding financial year, and be shared with broadcasters by September 30 every year.
• Small Distributors: Distributors with less than 30,000 active subscribers are not compelled to conduct mandatory audits, but are encouraged to do so voluntarily.
• Advance Notice: Distributors must notify broadcasters at least 30 days before the audit, specifying the schedule and auditor’s name.
• Broadcaster Oversight: Broadcasters may depute representatives during audits and raise objections within 30 days if discrepancies arise; auditors must issue updates within the next 30 days.
• Data Segregation: Shared SMS/CAS must have separate instances for each distributor, with clear segregation for entity-wise reconciliation.
• Penalties: Non-compliance with audit timelines and processes will continue to attract penalties, with clarified timelines to prevent disputes.

Regulatory Objectives

• Enhance transparency and accountability in reporting subscription data.
• Foster a more robust and inclusive digital broadcasting ecosystem through consultation and stakeholder feedback.
• Align audit requirements with Digital Addressable Systems Audit Manual and stakeholder expectations built over several years.

These draft regulations are part of a broader reform in India’s broadcasting and telecom interconnection regime, intending to simplify, modernize, and make the sector more transparent and accountable.

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