India adds 610,000 active DTH subscribers in 1Q 2015

NEW DELHI — The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today released the “Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report” for the Quarter ending March, 2015. The Report provides a broad perspective of the Telecom Services and presents the key parameters and growth trends for the Telecom Services as well as Cable TV, DTH & Radio Broadcasting services in India for the period covering 1st January to 31st March, 2015 and is compiled on the basis of information furnished by the Service Providers.

Cable TV Services

As on 31.03.2015, there are a total of 155 Multi System Operators (MSOs), who have been granted Permanent Registration (for 10 years) by Ministry of I&B, for providing Cable TV services through Digital Addressable Systems.

The digitization, with addressability of cable TV sector is in progress, in a phased manner. It is planned to be completed in four phases. The cut-off date for migration to “Digital Addressable Cable TV Systems” for the first phase, covering four metropolitan cities, was 31.10.2012 and for second phase, covering 38 cities having population more than 1 million, was 30.03.2013. The cut-off date for third phase was 30.09.2014 and for the fourth and final phase was 31.12.2014. However, the cut-off date for third phase & fourth phase was further extended up to 31.12.2015 & 31.12.2016 respectively.

DTH Services

At present, apart from the free DTH service of Doordarshan Prasar Bharati, a public broadcaster, 6 private DTH Operators are offering pay DTH services to the subscribers.

As per the information submitted by the DTH operator through quarterly PMR for DTH services, total number of registered subscribers and active subscribers being served by these six private DTH operators, as reported to TRAI, are 76.05 million & 41.15, million respectively as on 31st March 2015.

DTH subscribers (millions)

                                                  2014
            ------------------------------------------
            End-March   End-June  End-Sept.   End-Dec.
            ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Registered      64.82      67.57      70.33      73.06
 Active         37.19      38.24      39.13      40.54
 Inactive       27.63      29.33      31.20      32.52

                 2015
            ---------
            End-March
            ---------
Registered      76.05
 Active         41.15
 Inactive       34.90