I&B Ministry
Modified list of DAS areas in Goa, Meghalaya, Sikkim sees 61 changes
NEW DELHI: In an updated list issued today, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has made deletions and changes in the areas to be brought under Phase III of Digital Addressable System (DAS) in Goa, Meghalaya and Sikkim by the end of the month.
These include a total of 6q changed including 57 areas deleted from the list of Goa, two deleted in Sikkim, and two changed in Meghalaya.
The Government had first notified the list of areas under Phase III on 30 April and later modified the lists for 16 States/UTs and another eight States/UTs on 16 October and 2 November respectively.
The changes made in Goa, Meghalaya and Sikkim are based on comments/data received from the State/UT Governments.
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.
