Prasar Bharati plans DTH service with 40 FTA channels

This could well start a new era in the Indian television industry. Prasar Bharati is planning to launch DTH (direct-to-home) service by third week of June with 40 free-to-air channels. It is also inviting some 25 other private channels to be on the board.

Apart from the 15-odd Doordarshan channels, the public broadcaster plans to offer all news channels, FTA (free-to-air) entertainment offerings of Sun TV, Zee TV, Sab TV, Sahara and so on, educational channels like Vyasa, Ekalavya and spiritual ones like Jagran and Aastha. It may also offer radio channels from All India Radio as a part of the service.

The KU-band platform - which Prasar Bharati operates on - will be a great alternative for those who wish to be independent of the cableman. All they need to do is make a one-time investment to buy the Rs 5,000-odd dish antenna and a receiver box.