Airtel Digital TV shifting set-top box manufacturing to India

After Tata Sky and Dish TV, now Airtel Digital TV is also planning to stop importing set to boxes from other countries and start the production in India by December 2021. The company has partnered with Skyworth Electronics for the domestic production in Noida.

Airtel previously used to manufacture non-smart STBs in Pune through MyBox Tech, however, it wasn’t satisfied with the quality delivered hence started to import boxes from Thailand and Vietnam. “The Covid-19 induced supply chain disruptions have further accelerated our efforts to make our supply chain more India-reliant,” said Sunil Taldar, CEO – DTH, Bharti Airtel, to ET.

According to Airtel, the electronics manufacturing in India has improved and built capabilities over the years, giving companies a better control over the quality of their products and supply chain.

Made in India set-top box manufacturing has already begun and no new import orders will be placed by Airtel but shipment of imported STBs will continue to come till December for existing orders. All set-top box boxes including SD, HD and Android hybrid Xstream will be manufactured locally. 

Tata Sky was the first operator to announce shifting set-top box manufacturing inside India. They have partnered with Technicolor Connected Home and Flextronics whereas Dish TV’s made in India STBs are manufactured by a local Padget Electronics in Noida.