DTH subscriber base declines by 2.2M in September 2024

India’s pay DTH sector saw a decline in its active subscriber base, dropping from 62.17 million in June 2024 to 59.91 million by September 2024, as per the latest Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) report. This excludes DD Free Dish, the free DTH service by Doordarshan, reflecting a shift in India’s TV consumption patterns.

The report indicates a steady decline from the previous year, when the pay DTH subscriber base stood at 64.18 million in September 2023. Although the subscriber count fell each quarter, a small uptick of 200,000 subscribers occurred between March and June 2024.

Tata Play and Bharti Telemedia dominate, with 31.99% and 29.38% shares respectively. Dish TV is at 19.53%, and Sun Direct is at 19.10%.

Regarding satellite TV channels, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has authorized approximately 912 private channels, with 362 being pay TV channels (258 SD and 104 HD) as of September 2024. The major broadcasters—Star India, Zee Entertainment, Viacom 18, SUN TV, and Culver Max—dominate the pay TV market, accounting for 205 of the 362 channels.

The report also highlights a decrease in the number of Multi System Operators (MSOs) offering cable TV services via Digital Addressable Systems (DAS), dropping from 880 in June 2024 to 845 in September 2024. GTPL Hathway leads MSOs with 89.74 lakh subscribers, followed by Hathway Digital with 51.74 lakh and Siti Networks with 48.10 lakh.
BCS bureau