Port Blair, Aug 22: The Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite television was started in mainland India in 2003 residents while DD Direct Plus was launched in 2004 at mainland India but the residents of Andaman & Nicobar still deprived of the services. A separate DTH service in C-Band with 10 channels exclusively started for A & N Islands by the Doordarshan, was increased channels quantity time to time. This service can be received through a STB and medium sized Dish Antenna in Sep 2009, but no takers due to high cost and meager channels.
Since lasts year Tata Sky and D2H DTH signals were available in Andaman & Nicobar Islands through 6 feet flat dish but through Gsat 10 satellite TataSky is having good Reception in Only Vertical TPs that’s why for every software update in 4-5 months the STB need to send mainland India for further update of software which costs 400/–500/- and consuming about one month to receive back. Further Nepal’s DishHome DTH which is functioning through Amos -4 Satellite is being installed at Port Blair with the expense of Rs 15,000/-
Since Jan 2019 Airtel Digital Tv signals were covered in these islands through SES7 Satellite owned by SES world skies at 108.7 East, but the lockable signals were covered in North Andaman only through 6 feet flat dish. While going towards South the signals slowly fads away. The total cost of setting up an Airtel DTH is about 12000 and above for single port LNB which is available in mainland India from 1250/-
The Nicobar group of islands covers through Videocon DTH through ST2 satellite but the cost of a single set up goes up to about 15000/- But still the people opting this lone entertainment service. This shows that how much the Administration failed to control the local cable operators atrocity in our islands.
Already the islanders were fed up with monopoly of the local cable operators whom the Administration failed to control in spite of having High Court orders. Now when the Indian satellites are ready to land on moon second time we the Islanders begging the Mainland India’s Department of Telecommunications for the Full DTH signals for enjoying the only medium of entertainment , the Television.
It is the saddest state of affairs of our Nation that Pakistanis, Bangladeshi are having exclusive access to DTH services of our country in 2 feet Dish but A & N Islands are deprived of the Ku Band beam. The Andaman & Nicobar Administration or the political leaders has never took any interest in these fields to pursue the issue with ministry of Information & Broadcasting department of Space.
