NEW DELHI: In a bid to bring about a semblance of difference between cable TV pricing for commercial purpose (like in Hotels) and home subscribers, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) today issued a consultation paper to discuss the issue before finalizing some recommendations.

The Trai paper on commercial tariff seeks to discuss issues like whether there is a need to fix tariffs for commercial purposes and its methodology, definitions of commercial consumers and how they can be differentiated from non-commercial consumers.

A tariff order of 1 October 2004 did not distinguish between commercial and other services.
However, while dealing with a batch of petitions filed by the hotel and restaurant industry, the TDSAT (disputes tribunal) in its judgment of 17 January, 2006 had pointed out that the regulator's earlier order did not cover commercial services.

Accordingly, after careful examination Trai decided as an interim measure to amend the tariff order and provide for a ceiling for commercial tariff also.

The present consultation paper is part of an exercise to discuss the issue in detail with broadcast industry stakeholders and those representing the hotels and restaurants.