Significant setback for Indian DTH subs
August 13, 2015
By Chris Forrester
Data from India’s broadcast regulator (the Telecom Regulatory Authority – TRAI) reveals that there are huge numbers of inactive DTH subscribers. Households have the dishes and set-top boxes, but they are not subscribing to pay-TV.
TRAI says there are almost 34.9 million “inactive” DTH subscribers. The number of registered subscribers with India’s ‘big six’ pay-TV operators is placed at 76.05 million (as at March 31st).
However, an analysis of those six major players shows that the number of ‘active’ subs is a lot less, at just 41.15 million who are actually paying for a DTH service.
TRAI has also done a channel count and says that the pay-TV sector is offering 245 channels to subscribers. In total, however, TRAI says official figures from India’s Information & Broadcasting Ministry shows that 829 private TV channels are licensed to operate, with just 7 awaiting final clearances to start transmissions.