TRAI invites comments on draft DRM audit manual for IPTV services

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has invited stakeholder comments by October 30 on a draft audit manual for digital rights management (DRM)-based IPTV systems.

The draft, issued on October 9, lays down procedures for auditing DRM-based digital addressable systems, addressing a gap in the existing audit manual issued in March 2026.

TRAI introduced DRM requirements for IPTV distribution in September 2023, covering subscriber management systems (SMS), content encryption, fingerprinting and subscriber identification.


Under the draft manual, IPTV operators must reconcile data between their SMS and DRM systems every month and retain reconciliation reports for at least three years or three audit cycles, whichever is later, subject to applicable requirements.

The draft also sets mismatch thresholds for subscriber data: less than 0.20% for subscriber bases of up to 100,000, less than 0.04% for bases of up to one million, and less than 0.01% for bases above 10 million.

The proposed audit procedures cover both compliance and subscription audits. They also apply to software applications installed on consumer devices that perform set-top box functions, including content decryption, decoding and DRM licence evaluation.

The draft requires IPTV operators to notify broadcasters within seven days of specified changes, including the addition or removal of SMS or DRM systems, software or system-version changes, deployment of new types of set-top boxes or applications, and infrastructure-sharing arrangements.

Under existing regulations, distributors of television channels must generally undergo annual audits by auditors empanelled by TRAI or Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL), subject to applicable exemptions and conditions. Audit reports must be shared with relevant broadcasters by September 30 each year.

The regulations also allow broadcasters to seek further scrutiny of audit findings. If an audit establishes non-compliance with applicable addressable-system requirements, broadcasters may disconnect signals after giving three weeks’ written notice.