Pay DTH platforms added 290,000 active subs in Dec quarter: TRAI
The active pay DTH subscriber base has jumped to 70.99 million for the quarter ended 31st December 2020 compared to 70.7 million in the trailing quarter ended September 2020
The pay DTH platforms have added 290,000 (0.29 million) active subscribers during the October-December 2020 quarter compared to 120,000 (0.12 million) active subscribers during the July-September 2020 quarter, according to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (TRAI) The Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicators report for the December quarter.
The active pay DTH subscriber base has jumped to 70.99 million for the quarter ended 31st December 2020 compared to 70.7 million in the trailing quarter ended September 2020. The pay DTH market includes Tata Sky, Dish TV, Bharti Telemedia (Airtel Digital TV), and Sun Direct. Besides pay DTH platforms, Prasar Bharati also a free DTH platform called DD Free Dish, which has an estimated 40 million users.
Tata Sky has consolidated its lead over rivals with 33.03% market share followed by Dish TV (25.45%), Bharti Telemedia (25.17%), and Sun Direct (16.35%). Dish TV and Airtel Digital TV have reported a drop in subscribers while Tata Sky and Sun Direct have gained new subscribers. In the previous quarter, the market share stood at Tata Sky (32.58%), Dish TV (27%), Bharti Telemedia (24.59%), and Sun Direct (15.83%).
As per the new regulatory framework of Broadcasting and Cable TV Services, the total active subscribers are counted including only those subscribers which are inactive/ temporarily suspended for not more than the last 90 days.
As of 31st December 2020, there are 1704 MSOs registered with the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB). Further, as per the data reported by MSOs/HITS operators, there are 12 MSOs & 1 HITS operator who have a subscriber base greater than one million.
These include Siti Networks (8.57 million), GTPL Hathway (7.69 million), Hathway Digital (5.47 million), Den Networks (4.94 million), Thamizhaga Cable TV Communication Pvt Ltd (TCCL) (3.47 million), Kerala Communicators Cable Ltd (KCCL) (3.02 million), Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV (3.01 million), Fastway Transmissions (2.23 million), NXT Digital Ltd (HITS) (2.11 million), KAL Cables (2 million), VK Digital (1.71 million), NXT Digital Ltd (Cable TV) (1.23 million), and Asianet Digital Network (1.22 million).
Siti Networks, GTPL Hathway, Hathway Digital, DEN Networks, NXT Digital Ltd (HITS), and NXT Digital Ltd (Cable TV) have seen a decline in subscriber base while TCCL, Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV, KCCL, KAL Cables, and VK Digital have registered growth in subscriber base.
In the previous quarter, the subscriber base of the Top 13 cable TV platforms was as follows, Siti Networks (8.78 million), GTPL Hathway (7.72 million), Hathway Digital (5.28 million), DEN Networks (5 million), TCCL (3 million), Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV (3 million), KCCL (2.9 million), Fastway Transmissions (2.23 million), NXT Digital HITS (2.14 million), KAL Cables (1.98 million), VK Digital (1.65 million) NXT Digital CATV (1.28 million) and Asianet Digital Network (1.22 million).
As per the reporting done by broadcasters in pursuance of the Tariff Order dated 3rd March 2017, there are 326 pay-TV channels, as of 31st December 2020, which includes 233 SD pay-TV channels and 93 HD Pay TV channels. Apart from these pay channels reported to TRAI, all other channels permitted by MIB may be considered as Free to Air (FTA) channels.
Apart from the radio stations operated by All India Radio – the public broadcaster, as of 31st December 2020, there are 367 operational private FM Radio stations in 105 cities with operational 31 Private FM Radio broadcasters as compared to 367 private FM Radio Stations in 105 cities with operational 31 FM Radio broadcasters in the previous quarter.
The reported advertisement revenue during the quarter ending 31st December 2020 in respect of 366 private FM Radio stations is Rs.323.01 crore as against Rs.198.53 crore in respect of 366 private FM Radio stations for the previous quarter i.e 30th September 2020. One FM Radio Broadcaster, Gwalior Farms Private Limited, operating in the city of Guwahati, has not submitted the advertisement revenue.
