Best DTH In India: A Comparison & How To Choose
Direct-to-home (DTH) refers to a special kind of satellite television service that transmits programs directly to a subscriber’s house, regardless of the location within a country. Wireless technology allows different television programs to be transmitted from satellite directly to a viewer who has subscribed to this service through satellite signals. The subscriber needs to install a Set-Top Box and a Dish Antenna.
List of Top DTH Providers in India
The largest DTH operator: Tata Play has the biggest market share of 33.23%, followed by Airtel DTH (Bharat Telemedia) at 26.24%. Dish TV’s market share holds at 22.10%, while Sun Direct TV also increased its market share to 18.43%. Let us help you make an informed decision by providing data that will give you information about the top DTH providers in India, which include Tata Sky, Videocon d2h, Sun Direct, Airtel DTH, Dish TV and DD Free Dish.
Dish TV
Dish TV, one of the first DTH providers in India, is owned by Zee TV, one of India’s most popular channels. It has been named India’s Most Trusted DTH Brand for four years running, thanks to its cutting-edge services and ground-breaking features.
| Official website | www.dishtv.in |
|---|---|
| Number of channels | 100+ |
| Number of SD channels | Approx. 100 |
| Number of HD channels | 15 |
| Compulsory network fee | 153/- including taxes per month (Single Connection) |
| Channels under network fee | Up to 200 SD/100 HD |
| Minimum base pack | Approx 127/- per month |
| Number of users | Over 23 million |
| Contact Details | 095017 95017 | [email protected] |
Airtel DTH
In 2008, Airtel launched its DTH service in India. This service allows customers to customize Airtel DTH channels like Airtel DTH 199, Airtel DTH 219, and Airtel DTH 285 depending on their interests and so the price value also changes accordingly. The set-top box provides high-quality videos and Dolby surround sound audio features, as well as video recording capabilities.
| Official website | www.airtel.in |
|---|---|
| Number of channels | 563 |
| Number of SD channels | 428 |
| Number of HD channels | 72 |
| Compulsory network fee | 153/- including taxes per month (Single Connection) |
| Channels under network fee | Up to 200 SD/100 HD |
| Minimum base pack | Approx 153/- per month |
| Number of users | 17.86 million |
| Contact Details | 1800-103-6065 | [email protected] |
Tata Play
Tata Play Limited, a joint venture between Tata Sons and TFCF Corporation, is India’s leading content distribution platform providing Pay TV and OTT services. The company launched its services in 2006 and has made entertainment further convenient with the introduction of its Binge Combos—an inventive bundled offering that brings the best of broadcast channels and OTT apps in one integrated pack for its subscribers. You can check the Tata Sky channels list to get more details.
| Official website | www.tataplay.com |
|---|---|
| Number of channels | 652 |
| Number of SD channels | 498 |
| Number of HD channels | 91 |
| Compulsory network fee | 153/- including taxes per month (Single Connection) |
| Channels under network fee | Up to 200 SD/100 HD |
| Minimum base pack | 36-40/- per month |
| Number of users | 23.44 million |
| Contact Details | 18002086633 |[email protected] |
DD FREE DISH | DD Direct Plus
DD Free Dish DTH (DD Direct+) is a service provided by Prasar Bharati (India’s public broadcaster). It is a free digital television package offered throughout India. The only cost that you incur is the installation fee, which is very low. DD Direct Plus also boasts private channels like B4U Movies, 9XM and BU Music, among others. You might require an MPEG-4/HD set-top box to view the HD channel in the DD Free Dish.
| Official website | www.prasarbharati.gov.in/doordarshan/ |
|---|---|
| Number of channels | 106 |
| Number of SD channels | 106 |
| Number of HD channels | 01 |
| Number of users | 40.0 million |
| Contact Details of DD Free Dish DTH | 01123114006 |
RELIANCE JIO DTH
Jio DTH service by Reliance Group offers high-speed broadband and DTH services along with Full HD channels. The difference between this DTH service and other available services is that to avail of the Jio DTH service you don’t need an antenna for receiving signals; rather, you need a broadband connection which includes a router and set-top box.
| Official website | https://www.jio.com |
|---|---|
| Number of channels | 300+ |
| Number of SD channels | 100+ |
| Number of HD channels | 200+ |
| Number of users | More than 20 million |
| Contact Details of Jio DTH | 1800-88-99999 |
D2H
The Videocon d2h is a popular DTH service provider in India, and it was the first to launch a 4K Ultra HD channel. The company provides its customers with its own services like Movies Active, Movies Active HD, Dance Active, Bhakti Active and Ibadat Active. It has also launched a d2h Stream set-top box used to upgrade your television to one that’s smart with others like Digital set-top box, Digital HD set-top box and HD RF set-top box. Check D2H channel list to know the details for HD and SD types.
| Official website | www.d2h.com |
|---|---|
| Number of channels | 650 |
| Number of SD channels | 326 |
| Number of HD channels | 61 |
| Compulsory network fee | 153/- including taxes per month (Single Connection) |
| Channels under network fee | Up to 200 SD/100 HD |
| Minimum base pack | Approx 190/- per month |
| Number of users | Over 19 million |
| Contact Details | +91-9115691156 | [email protected] |
SUN DIRECT
Launched in 2007, Sun Direct is a Sun Network division of a Chennai-based service provider that provides two different types of set-top boxes: Sun Direct SD+ and Sun Direct HD+. The former targets southern India and regional language channels featuring a wide range of languages, like Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Punjabi and others at Sun Direct Channel list.
| Official website | www.sundirect.in |
|---|---|
| Number of channels | 180 |
| Number of SD channels | 115 |
| Number of HD channels | 63 |
| Compulsory network fee | 153/- including taxes per month (Single Connection) |
| Channels under network fee | Up to 200 SD/100 HD |
| Minimum base pack | Approx 168/- per month |
| Number of users | Over 16 million |
| Contact Details | 044-44676767 | [email protected] |
Zing Digital
Zing Digital, a subsidiary of Dish TV, was launched in 2015 and provides its services at nominal cost on regional content. The company operates in Kerala, West Bengal and Odisha. Using the language button, you may personalize your favorite channels and enter the entertainment zone created just for you! They provide the maximum regional entertainment options—ensuring that you will never run out of options with us! The price of the Zing Digital set-top box-is ₹1,499/-,
DTH Best Monthly Plans and Prices
Choosing a great DTH service provider is a priority. It is important to know the different DTH Set-top boxes available with each DTH provider. The model you select should be compatible with the TV equipment. You should compare is how many channels and other benefits you are getting at a particular price. Does the provider offer entertainment channel plans? Do they offer DTH news channel plans? A simple breakdown in given in the table below:
| Name of DTH provider | Installation charges | Basic Set-top box charges | Package starts from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airtel HD | Free | Rs 1,590 | Rs 158 per month |
| Dish TV | Rs 200 | Rs 999 | Rs 165 per month |
| Sun Direct | Free | Rs 1,339 | Rs 133 per month |
| Tata Sky | Rs 400 | Rs 999 | Rs 150 per month |
| Videocon | Free | Rs 1,690 | Rs 150 per month |
The figures in the table are subject to change, depending on new subscriptions and channel additions/ deductions.
DTH with Best Sound Quality
Tata Sky offers the best sound quality and picture clarity. With Dolby Digital Surround Sound (Tata+ HD) brings home theater experience. The TV shows are recorded and engineered in 7.1 Surround Sound and 16:9 Aspect Ratio.
Best DHT Service Providers in India: Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the largest DTH operator in India?
Tata Sky has recorded the highest DTH market share in India with 22.4 million subscribers.
Do rains affect DTH services in India? If yes, then which DTH provider is least affected?
Yes, DTH services do get affected with rain. But still the best in this situation comes out to be Tata Play. If you face any signal issues, then you have the Tata sky live TV app for backup.
Is Tata Sky installation free?
The standard installation is free with Tata Sky. If you book online, you get delivery and installation within 24 hours to 48 hours. This includes one-year warranty too.
Which DTH is best in monthly plan?
Airtel Digital TV’s My Sports HD pack is one of the best DTH plans available in the market. You get a total of 359 channels which includes 46 HD channels, 76 popular channels and rest SD channels. Price of this pack is Rs 493 per month.
Which DTH has best sound quality?
The best sound quality is provided by Tata Sky.
Which DTH provider is best for 4K TV?
Tata Sky gives you a fabulous experience with its future ready Ultra HD 4K. Videocon d2h is comes second when it comes to the 4K race. Airtel DTH offers Airtel Xstream to subscribers for 4K picture quality.
Which Android DTH is best?
Tata Sky Binge+ is India’s second-generation hybrid DTH set-top box based on the Google Android TV platform. This Android-based set-top box has 2GB RAM and 8GB internal memory and can stream both linear channels (broadcasted via satellite) and over-the-top content (OTT).