I&B Ministry
MIB reiterates IPTV self declaration rules, warns against agents
Advisory dated April 22, 2026 flags no fee, no third party role in filings.
MUMBAI: Before the screens light up, the paperwork must too and the government is reminding players not to outsource the basics. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued a fresh advisory to IPTV service providers, reiterating the mandatory process for filing self-declarations before launching services and cautioning against the use of unauthorised intermediaries.
The advisory, dated April 22, 2026, anchors its guidance in the IPTV policy framework issued on September 8, 2008. Under these rules, all telecom licensees and cable operators including MSOs and LCOs are required to submit a self-certified declaration prior to commencing IPTV operations.
The process, the ministry emphasised, is deliberately simple. Providers must file the declaration in a prescribed format with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Department of Telecommunications, and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The form captures basic operational details such as licence or registration information, proposed start date, service area, and network infrastructure.
Importantly, the ministry underscored that the filing requires no third-party assistance and carries no fee effectively shutting the door on consultants or agents claiming to “fast-track” approvals.
In a pointed warning, the advisory clarified that no external entity has any role in processing IPTV self-declarations and cannot expedite submissions. Stakeholders have been advised to engage only with designated government officials and remain cautious of unauthorised facilitators.
For queries, operators have been directed to reach out through the ministry’s official communication channels. The advisory was issued by Shiv Ram Meena, Under Secretary to the Government of India.
In a sector where compliance can often feel layered, the message is straightforward: file it yourself, file it right, and don’t pay for what’s meant to be free.
I&B Ministry
Prasar Bharati sets EPG standards for DD Free Dish platform
New specs define 7-day guide, LCN mapping, and device compatibility.
MUMBAI: Your TV guide just got a backstage pass structured, scheduled, and far more in sync. Prasar Bharati has released detailed technical specifications for Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) services on DD Free Dish, laying down a standardised framework for how channels and programme information are organised and delivered. At the core of the update is a defined EPG data structure, covering genre-based categorisation, scheduling formats, and Logical Channel Numbering (LCN). The aim is simple: make navigation less guesswork and more guided experience across the platform’s over 40 million households.
The specifications also introduce a seven-day programme guide window for each channel, alongside clear rules for channel grouping and LCN mapping effectively deciding not just what you watch, but how easily you find it.
On the technical front, the document outlines requirements for Program Specific Information (PSI) and Service Information (SI), including descriptor usage across tables such as PAT, BAT and NIT. It further details service lists and network linkage parameters, giving OEMs and developers a clearer blueprint for integration.
Importantly, the framework is designed to work seamlessly with television sets equipped with in-built satellite tuners, enabling users to access DD Free Dish directly without additional hardware, an incremental but meaningful step towards simplifying access.
The platform will continue to operate on GSAT-15 transponders, using MPEG-4 compression and DVB-S2 transmission standards, ensuring continuity even as the interface evolves.
While largely technical, the move signals a broader push towards standardisation and user-friendly discovery in India’s free-to-air ecosystem because sometimes, the real upgrade isn’t what’s on screen, but how easily you get there.
