The consultation was initiated after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting sought Trai’s recommendations in December 2025 on framing a regulatory framework for FAST services amid concerns raised by traditional cable and DTH operators over unregulated internet-delivered linear television platforms.
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The move comes amid a sharp decline in India’s pay TV subscriber base, with viewers increasingly cutting the cord and shifting to digital streaming platforms such as OTT and FAST services.
At the heart of the debate is whether internet-delivered linear TV channels should be regulated like traditional broadcasting distribution platforms.
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Legacy distribution players including cable and DTH operators argued that FAST and ALTD platforms distribute television-like linear channels without complying with licensing, tariff, interconnection and content obligations applicable to traditional distribution platform operators.
Bharti Telemedia, the DTH arm of Bharti Airtel, said it prefers regulatory forbearance for all registered distribution platforms to ensure a level playing field between legacy and new-age operators. However, if cable and DTH operators continue to remain regulated, the company said the principle of “same content, same rules” should apply uniformly, including to ALTD providers.Also read: 5G network slicing: India’s digital highway or a recipe for discrimination?
The All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) argued that FAST services violate uplinking and downlinking norms by broadcasting through internet-based applications and said some content available on such platforms could pose risks to the country’s sovereignty and security.
Traditional stakeholders also backed mandatory carriage obligations, sports signal-sharing requirements with Prasar Bharati and platform-neutral pricing rules. In contrast, internet and technology companies opposed bringing FAST and ALTD services under legacy broadcasting or telecom-style regulation.
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