In Airtel DTH (Direct-To-Home) television services, NCF stands for “Network Capacity Fee.” NCF is a charge levied by service providers like Airtel for the allocation of network resources and infrastructure required to deliver television channels to your DTH set-top box.
Here are some key points to understand about NCF in Airtel DTH:
- Basic Fee: NCF is a basic fee that subscribers must pay in addition to the cost of the individual channels or channel packs they choose. It is a recurring monthly fee.
- Fixed Amount: In September 2021, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) mandated a maximum NCF charge. Service providers like Airtel cannot charge more than a certain amount for NCF. However, the exact NCF amount may vary based on the number of channels you subscribe to.
- NCF Calculation: NCF is calculated based on the number of channels or bouquets (channel packs) you subscribe to. You are charged for the capacity your selected channels occupy on the DTH platform.
- Base NCF: The base NCF was set at Rs. 130 (excluding taxes) per month. This fee allowed you to subscribe to up to 100 free-to-air (FTA) channels without incurring additional NCF charges.
- Additional NCF: If you subscribed to more than 100 FTA channels or if you added pay channels to your subscription, an additional NCF charge is applied. The additional NCF charge was Rs. 20 (excluding taxes) for every 25 additional channels beyond the initial 100 FTA channels.
- Free-to-Air (FTA) Channels: TRAI mandates that service providers should not charge NCF for the first 100 FTA channels. Therefore, if you have subscribed to fewer than 100 FTA channels, you will only pay NCF for the channels beyond the first 100.
- Transparency: Service providers like Airtel are required to provide a transparent breakdown of the NCF charges on your bill, showing how it is calculated based on your channel selections.
- Changes in Channel Selection: If you make changes to your channel selection or add/remove channels, your NCF may be adjusted accordingly.
- HD Channels: HD (High Definition) channels typically have a higher NCF compared to SD (Standard Definition) channels because they occupy more bandwidth.
It’s important to note that regulations related to DTH services, including NCF charges, may change over time. Therefore, I recommend checking the most recent Airtel DTH tariff plans and TRAI regulations on the Airtel website or contacting Airtel customer support for the latest information on NCF charges and other subscription details.
READ MORE: