The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has revised the rules governing audits of television distribution platforms, setting clear deadlines, easing requirements for smaller operators and laying down new norms for infrastructure sharing.
The changes, notified on 5 February, will come into effect from 1 April 2026. They amend the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services Interconnection (Addressable Systems) Regulations, 2017.
A key change is the move to a financial-year audit cycle. Distributors will now audit their systems for the previous financial year and share the report with broadcasters by 30 September each year. Earlier, while annual audits were required, there was no fixed deadline, often leading to delays and disagreements.
Smaller operators stand to benefit from the revised framework. Distributors with up to 30,000 active subscribers will not be required to undergo audits. This relaxation, however, will not apply where operators are part of joint ventures or share infrastructure and their combined subscriber base crosses the threshold.
The new rules also spell out how audits should be conducted. Distributors must inform broadcasters at least 30 days in advance about the audit and the auditor. Broadcasters can send a representative to be present during the audit, but only to provide inputs and without influencing the process.
Auditors will be required to certify that they are independent and that the audit complies with regulatory norms.
The process for raising concerns has also been streamlined. Broadcasters must flag any discrepancies within 45 days of receiving the audit report. If issues are not resolved after the auditor’s response, the matter can be taken up with TRAI.
Broadcasters will be allowed to commission an audit if a distributor fails to submit its report by the 30 September deadline. Such audits will be limited to once a year and will be paid for by the broadcaster.
TRAI has retained the existing tolerance level for billing differences, under which minor variations of less than 0.5% will not require changes to invoices.
Apart from audits, the amendment also brings infrastructure-sharing arrangements formally under the regulatory framework.
Where systems are shared, distributors will be required to keep subscriber data and access systems separate, so that accounts can be verified independently.
The rules also simplify on-screen watermarking. For viewers, the regulator said, it would be preferable if only the broadcaster’s logo and the logo of the last-mile distributor are displayed.
TRAI said the changes are intended to improve compliance, reduce repeated audits and address concerns raised by both broadcasters and distribution platform operators, especially smaller MSOs that have long flagged the cost and complexity of audits.
The regulator finalised the rules after an extensive consultation process. It released a consultation paper in August 2024, held discussions with stakeholders later that year and issued draft regulations in September 2025, extending deadlines for feedback after industry requests.
