The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has urged pay-TV broadcasters to avoid switching off signals to distribution platform operators (DPOs) if they don’t comply with tariff hikes until the Lok Sabha elections are over, people familiar with the development told ET.

One of the persons said Trai chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti and Secretary V Raghunandan recently met with the top executives of leading broadcasting firms and urged them to engage with DPOs on the price hike matter. Another person said because of the regulator’s prodding, the increase in TV channel prices will be effectively on hold until the final vote in the Lok Sabha elections is counted, as many DPOs have yet to sign deals based on the new tariff.

The implementation of new prices, expected to take effect in February, has been halted due to resistance from cable TV service providers affiliated with the All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF).

Cable TV service providers oppose broadcasters’ price hikes, fearing they will exacerbate subscriber dissatisfaction. Both direct-to-home (DTH) and cable TV segments are grappling with customer churn due to competition from DD Free Dish, a free DTH service by Prasar Bharati, and over-the-top (OTT) platforms.