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At the moment, DD’s networks cover slightly over 90 per cent of
the Indian population through 25 channels, 1,402 high and low-powered
transmitters and putting out 1,485 hours of programming a week.
However, the minister allayed fears that terrestrial transmission
of DD would be stopped altogether, which may deprive a vast population
of the country from a cheap source of entertainment and information.
The government also expects that the prices of hardware needed
for accessing KU-band transmissions would fall from the present
Rs. 3,000, which is the price for the equipment to receive DD’s
direct-to-home television service, DD Direct Plus.
“With increase in demand for KU-band systems, the price of these
sets is expected to come down further,” Reddy informed Lok Sabha,
making it clear that there was no compulsion for people to buy DTH
hardware as they could continue receiving DD fare via cable and
terrestrially too.
One of the reasons for the previous Bharatiya Janata
Party-led government clearing DD’s KU-band project in
2003 was that calculations showed terrestrial expansion of DD’s
networks would be more costly than taking the KU-band route.
Reddy also informed Parliament that DD’s KU-band project was approved
at a total cost of Rs. 1,640 million and an expenditure of approximately
Rs. 330 million had been incurred till October 2004.
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