India’s satellite TV industry witnessed a slight increase in the number of permitted channels in the last quarter of 2023. According to The Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicators report for October–December, 2023 by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the number of channels permitted for uplinking, downlinking, or both, grew from 915 to 920. This follows a previous quarter’s rise from 903.
Pay TV channels also saw a marginal increase, rising from 361 to 363. These channels are a mix of Standard Definition (SD) and High Definition (HD), with 259 being SD and 104 being HD. The remaining channels are categorized as Free-to-Air (FTA).
The report also highlights growth in the cable TV sector. The total number of Multi System Operators (MSOs) with permanent registration for providing cable TV services through Digital Addressable Systems (DAS) reached 998. In the previous quarter the number stood at 995.
However, the report indicates stability in some areas. The number of FM Radio stations (excluding All India Radio) remained at 388, and the number of pay DTH operators held steady at 4.
A bright spot comes from community radio. The number of operational Community Radio stations increased from 465 to 479, demonstrating a growing interest in this platform for local engagement.
The only decline observed was in the subscriber base of pay DTH operators. The total number of active subscribers dipped from 64.18 million to 63.52 million in the last quarter.