DTH operators in India are providing both HD and SD channels to the subscribers. However, the HD or High Definition channels offered by the operators are very limited for now and they are not even half the total SD channels. When it comes to providing Value Added Services (VAS), Airtel Digital TV is the leader, but Tata Sky is currently allowing users to watch the maximum number of channels on its platform. As for the HD channels, Tata Sky is offering 91 right now and the number is more than that of any other operator. Notably, Tata Sky is the leading DTH service provider in India and it is continually adding new channels giving more choices to the users. Airtel Digital TV is offering 84 HD channels as of this writing.
Tata Sky Continues to Offer Most Number of HD Channels
For years now, Tata Sky is leading the channel department beating the likes of Airtel Digital TV, Dish TV and Sun Direct. At the time of filing this article, Tata Sky is offering 91 HD channels and over 500 SD channels. Besides the SD and HD channels, Tata Sky is also providing Value Added Services (VAS). Moving on, Airtel Digital TV is next on the list as it currently has 84 HD channels and around 525 SD channels. However, when it comes to Value Added Services and Platform Services, Airtel Digital TV beats Tata Sky.
Right now, Airtel Digital TV has VAS like Airtel Shorts TV, Mahabharat, Goodlife, The Horror TV, Telugu Talkies, Spotlight, Let's Dance, Hollywood Diaries, Miniplex and so on. Coming to Tata Sky's Value Added Services, there are some of them like Tata Sky Seniors, Tata Sky Ibadaat, Tata Sky Aradhana, Tata Sky Telugu Cinema and so on. Tata Sky also provides free VAS service for the first ten days after which users will be charged.
Dish TV, D2h and Sun Direct HD Channel Count Detailed
Besides Tata Sky and Airtel Digital TV, we also have two more pay DTH operators- Dish TV and Sun Direct. Right now, Dish TV users have access to just 64 HD channels and a total of 420 SD channels. Similar to Dish TV, D2h also has 64 HD channels and 422 SD channels. There's not much difference when it comes to Dish TV and D2h are the latter is owned by the former. Lastly, Sun Direct stands third on the list with 75 HD channels on offer.
It will be interesting to see whether Dish TV and D2h plans to increase the overall HD channels being offered on the platform right now. Dish TV and Sun Direct does not have many Value Added Services like Tata Sky or Airtel Digital TV, so users will have to mostly rely on the standard Satellite TV channels.
