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Direct-to-Home (DTH) users in India increased slightly in the June 2024 quarter. According to data supplied by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the overall number of DTH users in India increased from 61.97 million in March 2024 to 62.17 million by June 2024. The number of satellite TV channels fell from 922 at the end of March 2024 to 902 by June 2024, a decrease from the previous fiscal year's peak.
DTH Subscriber Base
Only 362 of the 902 channels are paid television channels. 259 of these channels were SD satellite pay TV channels, while 103 were HD channels. Aside from the 362 pay TV channels, the other channels accessible for downlinking were entirely free-to-air (FTA).
DTH operators must devise strategies to acquire new consumers, retain existing ones, and manage the subscriber loss curve without going out of business. With the proliferation of IPTV services and the deployment of 5G and fibre in practically every section of the country, DTH providers are finding it difficult to expand their businesses quickly.
The only positive part this quarter was the increase of DTH users. Since the previous year's June quarter, the industry has lost clients. This was not surprising given the massive expansion experienced by OTT (over-the-top) companies. Tata Play Limited held 32.34% of the market share, followed by Bharti Telemedia Limited with 28.85%, Dish TV India Limited with 19.98%, and Sun Direct TV Ptv Limited with 18.83%. Leaving aside growth, if the sector's addition of new subscribers comes as a surprise, things aren't going well.
Bharti Airtel recently emphasised that it continues to evaluate firms for potential acquisitions, but it has no material information to disclose with the stock exchanges regarding the acquisition of Tata Play Limited.
Bharti Airtel is reportedly in advanced talks with the Tata Group to acquire Tata Play, India's largest direct-to-home (DTH) service provider, which is struggling financially. The initiative intends to boost Airtel's position in the digital TV category, which is facing increased competition from over-the-top (OTT) streaming services, according to ET, citing sources.