TRAI Report Highlights Growth in India’s DTH and Internet Subscribers

According to the latest report from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the Indian Pay direct-to-home (DTH) services exhibited a slight growth in their subscriber base, while also indicating a shift in the telecommunications landscape with increasing internet usage. As of the quarter ending June 2024, the DTH subscriber count reached 62.17 million, rising from 61.97 million in March 2024. The competition in the DTH market remains concentrated among four major players: Tata Play, Bharti Telemedia, Dish TV, and Sun Direct TV, with market shares of 32.34%, 28.85%, 19.98%, and 18.83%, respectively.

The industry’s gradual growth comes amid discussions among distribution platform operators (DPOs) who are preparing to approach the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB). The operators intend to address the challenges posed by over-the-top (OTT) platforms streaming live TV channels, which they believe threatens traditional pay TV services.

TRAI’s report also sheds light on the expanding internet user base in India. The total number of internet subscribers increased from 954.40 million at the end of March 2024 to 969.60 million by the end of June 2024, marking a 1.59% growth. This rise includes a 1.81% increase in broadband subscribers, which grew from 924.07 million to 940.75 million, despite a decline in narrowband subscribers from 30.34 million to 28.85 million.

The assessment of wireline subscribers showed an increase from 33.79 million to 35.11 million, a growth rate of 3.90% over the quarter and 15.81% on a year-on-year basis. Furthermore, India’s tele-density saw a marginal rise from 85.69% in March 2024 to 85.95% in June 2024. This increase in subscribers significantly depends on rural growth, with rural telephone subscriptions rising from 533.90 million to 538.51 million in the same period.

Monthly Average Revenue per User (ARPU) for wireless services also witnessed an increase, climbing 2.55% from Rs 153.54 in March 2024 to Rs 157.45 by June 2024, with a year-on-year ARPU increase of 8.11%. Despite these growth figures, TRAI reported a decrease in average monthly minutes of usage per subscriber from 995 to 974 minutes.

The report emphasizes ongoing trends in the telecommunications sector in India, indicating moderate growth in subscriber numbers across various services, alongside challenges and opportunities in the evolving digital landscape.