FM Radio players’ ad revenue sees steep hike to Rs 421.74 cr in Oct-Dec 21:TRAI

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recently released the ‘Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report’ for the Quarter ending December 31, 2021. 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 October 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021 compiled mainly on the basis of information furnished by the Service Providers.

A total number of 909 private satellite TV channels have been permitted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) for uplinking only/ downlinking only/ both uplinking and downlinking. As per the reporting done by broadcasters in pursuance of the Tariff Order dated March 3, 2017 as amended, out of 893 permitted satellite TV channels which are available for downlinking in India, there are 350 satellite pay TV channels. Out of 350 pay channels, 253 are SD satellite pay TV channels and 97 are HD satellite pay TV channels.

DTH Sector

Since the introduction of the DTH Sector in the year 2003, the Indian DTH (direct[1]to-home) services have displayed a phenomenal growth. During the quarter ending December 31, 2021, there were 4 pay DTH service providers in the country. Pay DTH has attained total active subscriber base of around 68.52 million in quarter ending December 31, 2021. This is in addition to the subscribers of the DD Free Dish (free DTH services of Doordarshan). However, the total active subscriber base has decreased from 68.89 million in September 2021 to 68.52 million in December 2021.

As on December 31, 2021, there are 1,753 MSOs registered with MIB. As per the data reported by MSOs and HITS operator, there are 12 MSOs and 1 HITS operator who have subscriber base greater than one million.

FM Radio Sector

Apart from the radio channels operated by All India Radio – the public broadcaster, as per the data reported by FM Radio operators to TRAI, as on December 31, 2021, there are 386 operational private FM Radio channels in 113 cities operated by 36 private FM Radio operators.

The advertisement revenue reported by FM Radio operators during the quarter ending December 31, 2021 in respect of 386 private FM Radio channels is Rs 421.74 crore as against Rs 294.78 crore in respect of 385 private FM Radio channels for the previous quarter, that is, September 30, 2021.

Internet Service

Total number of Internet subscribers decreased from 834.29 million at the end of September 2021 to 829.30 million at the end of December 2021, registering a quarterly decline rate of 0.60%. Out of 829.30 million Internet subscribers, number of Wired Internet subscribers are 26.58 million and number of Wireless Internet subscribers are 802.72 million.

Wired Internet subscribers increased from 24.47 million at the end of September 2021 to 26.58 million at the end of December 2021 with quarterly growth rate of 8.62%. Wireless Internet subscribers decreased from 809.82 million at the end of September 2021 to 802.72 million at the end of December 2021 with quarterly decline rate of 0.88%.

The number of Broadband subscribers decreased from 794.88 million at the end of September 2021 to 792.08 million at the end of December 2021, with quarterly decline rate of 0.35%. Number of Narrowband subscribers also declined from 39.41 million at the end of September 2021 to 37.21 million at the end of December 2021, with quarterly decline rate of 5.57%.