I&B Ministry
TV channels require bandwidth of 28.5 Mbps to transmit: Rathore
NEW DELHI: The typical value of bandwidth or data rate required to transmit (uplink / downlink) TV channels is around 28.5 Mbps, the Parliament was told today.
Rathore said that 822 private satellite TV channels had been permitted by the Ministry under the Uplinking / Downlinking Guidelines.
In reply to a question, Rathore informed that the permitted satellite TV channels, after obtaining permission from the Ministry, have to operationalise within one year in accordance with the provisions of Clause 2.4.2, 2.5.1 and 3.5.1 of the Uplinking Guidelines.
In order to ensure operationalisation, a Performance Bank Guarantee of certain amount has to be deposited by the permission holding company, which is forfeited if the company fails to operationalise by the due date.
Quoting information supplied by the Department of Telecommunications, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Rajyavardhan Rathore said the spectrum was as follows:
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.
