There are a total of 6,19,284 IPTV connections/subscription/users in India, according to a response to a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by MediaNama. For context, the figure is paltry compared to the number of mobile subscribers which stands at 1142.93 million (more than 100 crore). The response by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) also revealed that there are 23 IPTV operators in total present in the country. A list of all these operators can be found here. It also stated that the license/registration of IPTV is administered by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) and the Department of Telecommunication (DoT). Understanding IPTV: It is a service, also known as Internet Protocol television, that provides television programming and other video content using the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) suite, as opposed to broadcast TV, cable TV or satellite signals. It is typically distributed by a service provider, and the delivery of content takes place via IP networks. Why it matters: The growth of IPTV in India is an important aspect for why the TRAI is looking to introduce regulatory convergence in telecom and broadcasting. The fact that there are merely six lakh IPTV connections, even with 23 operators, that too after more than a decade of operation indicates that the service has not taken off in the country. It may be prudent for TRAI to not rely on IPTV as a basis for introducing convergence. Overview on TRAI’s convergence paper: A consultation paper released by the TRAI…
