The direct-to-home (DTH) industry has reported a turnaround in subscriber growth, adding 200,000 active subscribers in the June quarter, according to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

According to The Economic Times, This increase lifted the active pay TV subscriber base of private DTH operators to 62.17 million, up from 61.97 million in the previous quarter. This positive trend coincided with significant cricketing events such as the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, which likely contributed to the surge in viewership.

This modest subscriber addition offers relief to India’s four major private DTH operators, who collectively experienced a loss of 3.28 million active subscribers over the last fiscal year. While private DTH services are regaining ground, Prasar Bharati’s free DTH platform, DD Free Dish, continues to dominate with an estimated reach of 40 million homes, providing an alternative to subscription-based services.

Amid this landscape, industry consolidation is underway, with Bharti Airtel expressing interest in acquiring Tata Play from Tata Sons and Walt Disney, according to The Economic Times. Airtel, which operates the Bharti Telemedia brand, and Tata Play are currently the top two players in the DTH sector, with market shares of 32.34 percent and 28.85 percent, respectively. Dish TV follows in third place with a 19.98 percent market share, while Sun Direct holds 18.83 percent.