New Delhi, April 6 -- The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Monday released a consultation paper seeking stakeholder views on framing a regulatory framework for application-based Linear Television Distribution (ALTD) services, including Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST) platforms.

The move follows a reference from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), which highlighted concerns over the rapid growth of FAST services operating without a clear regulatory structure. TRAI noted that these platforms, often pre-installed on smart TVs or accessed via applications, deliver linear television channels over the internet without licensing or registration.

According to the consultation paper, ALTD services rep...