India DTH winning battle with cable
April 12, 2016
By Chris Forrester
It seems that satellite is winning the battle with cable distribution in India. The latest numbers from India’s Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) say that of the 35.2 million set-top boxes supplied into India’s Phase III digital conversion areas, DTH has been responsible for 24.2 million.
India is undertaking a four-stage process in requiring every TV home to have a digitally addressable set-top box. The box can be supplied by DTH operators, or cable. Currently the focus is on Phase III homes in smaller towns.
The latest MIB data shows that cable operators supplied 10.95 million boxes.
However, the current data also states that the conversion work in Phase III districts is far from over. While some regions have achieved 90 per cent conversion, others have barely touched 30 per cent conversion.
India being India, there are also other complicating factors. For example, in some regions India’s High Court has suspended digital conversion.