DTH subscribers down 1.6 million in India in 1Q 2022

NEW DELHI — The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today has released the “Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report” for the Quarter ending 31st March, 2022. This Report provides a broad perspective of the Telecom Services in India and presents the key parameters and growth trends of the Telecom Services as well as Cable TV, DTH & Radio Broadcasting services in India for the period covering 1st January, 2022 to 31st March, 2022 compiled mainly on the basis of information furnished by the Service Providers.

                                      2018
------------------------------------------
End-March   End-June  End-Sept.   End-Dec.
---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
    67.53      69.37      69.45      70.49

                                      2019
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End-March   End-June  End-Sept.   End-Dec.
---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
    72.44      68.92      69.30      69.98

                                      2020
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End-March   End-June  End-Sept.   End-Dec.
---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
    70.26      70.58      70.70      70.99

                                      2021
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End-March   End-June  End-Sept.   End-Dec.
---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
    69.57      69.86      68.89      68.52

                                      2022
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End-March   End-June  End-Sept.   End-Dec.
---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
    66.92

Direct-to-Home (DTH) Sector

Since its introduction in the year 2003, Indian DTH service have displayed a phenomenal growth. During the quarter ending 31st March, 2022, there were 4 pay DTH service providers in India.

Pay DTH has attained total active subscriber base of around 66.92 million. This is in addition to the subscribers of the DD Free Dish (free DTH services of Doordarshan). The total active subscriber base has decreased from 68.52 million in December 2021 to 66.92 million in March 2022.

Cable TV Sector

As on 31st March 2022, there are 1764 MSOs registered with MIB. As per the data reported by MSOs and HITS operator, there are 12 MSOs & 1 HITS operator who have subscriber base greater than one million.

Subscriber base* of major MSOs/HITS operators at the end of March, 2022
(more than one million subscribers)

                                                      2022
Rank  Operator                                    End-Mar.
----  -----------------------------------------  ---------
1.    GTPL Hathway Ltd                           8,232,240
2.    Siti Networks Ltd                          7,281,041
3.    Hathway Digital Ltd                        5,455,919
4.    Den Networks Ltd                           4,458,103
5.    Thamizhaga Cable TV Communication Pvt Ltd  3,856,930
6.    Kerala Communicators Cable Ltd             3,042,828
7.    Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation Ltd  2,641,641
8.    NXT Digital Ltd (HITS)                     2,456,013
9.    KAL Cables Pvt. Ltd                        2,058,720
10.   Fastway Transmissions Pvt Ltd              2,017,384
11.   V K Digital Network Pvt. Ltd               1,878,076
12.   NXT Digital Ltd (Cable TV)                 1,394,481
13.   Asianet Digital Network Pvt. Ltd           1,142,778

* Includes subscribers who have been inactive or temporarily suspended for not more than last 90 days.