Direct-to-home (DTH) company Tata Play, formerly known as Tata Sky, is planning to increase its bandwidth capacity by 50% by adding 24 new Ku-band transponders on the communication satellite GSAT-24. This expansion will allow Tata Play to offer more channels, services, and improve picture quality.

The GSAT-24 satellite was launched by NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL) in June of last year specifically to meet Tata Play’s DTH needs. This move aligns with India’s “Make in India” vision and showcases the country’s capabilities in indigenous satellite technology.

The additional capacity will enable Tata Play to carry almost every channel certified by the ministry, which is currently around 900 channels. They currently offer approximately 600 channels. Furthermore, the increased bandwidth per channel will result in better picture quality, sound quality, and overall stability.

Tata Play currently has 24 transponders, but 12 of them will be decommissioned in the next three months as they near the end of their life cycles. With the addition of the new transponders, Tata Play’s total transponder capacity will increase to 36.

With this increased capacity, Tata Play plans to cater to a wider audience by offering more regional and rural channels. They aim to meet the demand for content in different languages as they expand their operations across all pin codes in India.

Tata Play has completed technical testing and received government permissions to use the new satellite. CEO Harit Nagpal believes that this expansion will provide sufficient capacity for a long time, and he does not foresee the need for further expansion in the near future.

The GSAT-24 satellite, with pan-India coverage for DTH needs, was built at a cost of approximately ₹400 crore. It was launched on 22 June 2022 from Kourou in French Guiana by the French company Arianespace.

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