I&B Ministry
Revised guideline for rational pricing of satellite transponders soon, says Govt
NEW DELHI: The government is processing a revised policy guideline for allocation and pricing of transponders based on the review and approval of INSAT Co-ordination Committee (ICC) and Space Commission.
Parliament was told on 23 July by Department of Space Minister in charge Jitendra Singh that the new guideline envisages a rational classification structure for users such as strategic, government including societal, not-for-profit PSUs and commercial to form a basis for allocation and pricing of transponders.
At present, there are 12 INSAT/GSAT satellites in orbit, out of which 10 are communication satellites and two are meteorological satellites. In INSAT/GSAT satellite system there are 41 government users and 59 non-government users are utilising the capacity in C band, extended C band and Ku band to the extent of 152 transponders (36 MHz equivalent each).
At present, a uniform pricing policy is implemented for all categories of users. However, a multi-pricing policy for transponders is under the consideration of the government as INSAT systems transponders are utilised for non-profit purposes viz. governmental, societal, strategic as well as for commercial purposes.
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.
