India adds 1.4 million active DTH subscribers in 3Q 2016

NEW DELHI — The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today released the “Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report” for the Quarter ending September 2016. 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 and Radio Broadcasting services in India for the period covering 1st July to 30th September, 2016 and is compiled on the basis of information furnished by the Service Providers.

Cable TV Sector

Digitization, with addressability, of cable TV sector is under progress, in a phased manner. It is envisaged to be executed in four phases. The time line of the plan was subsequently revised and the revised time-table and schedule is as below: –

Migration Schedule – Digital Addressable Cable TV Systems

                                                                       Sunset date
Phase       Areas                                                       for analog
----------  ---------------------------------------------------------  -----------
Phase –I    Four Metros of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai              31.10.2012
Phase –II   Cities with population more than  one million (38 cities)   31.03.2013
Phase –III  All Urban areas (Municipal Corporation/ Municipalities)     31.12.2015
Phase –IV   Rest of India                                               31.12.2016

Direct-to-Home (DTH) Sector

Since its introduction in the year 2003, Indian DTH service has displayed a phenomenal growth. DTH has attained a registered pay subscriber base of around 94.61 million (including 61.90 million active subscribers). As on 30th September, 2016, there are 6 pay
DTH service providers. This is besides the viewership of the free DTH services of Doordarshan.

* The net active subscriber base includes number of temporarily suspended subscribers who have been inactive but for not more than 120 days.

DTH subscribers (millions)

                                                  2015
            ------------------------------------------
            End-March   End-June  End-Sept.   End-Dec.
            ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Registered      76.05      78.74      81.47      84.80
 Active         41.15      39.74      41.05      55.98
 Inactive       34.90      39.00      40.42      28.82

                                       2016
            -------------------------------
            End-March   End-June  End-Sept.  3Q Adds  YoY Adds  
            ---------  ---------  ---------  -------  --------
Registered      88.64      91.53      94.61     3.08     13.14
 Active         58.53      60.50      61.90     1.40     20.85
 Inactive       30.11      31.03      32.71     1.68     -7.71