In a blow to the users, DTH operator Tata Sky has removed a total of 26 channels from the FTA Complimentary package. After the removals, the channel count of the FTA Complimentary pack is now reduced to 135 channels.
The company has removed News World India, Sadhna TV, ABZY Movies, iLove Pen Studios, Aaho Music, Patrika TV Rajasthan, NewsX, Kalaignar TV, Polimer TV, Isai Aruvi, Murasu, Makkal TV, Peppers TV, Sirippoli, Polimer News, Seithigal, Sathiyam TV, India News Gujarat, India News Haryana, India News Punjab, India News Rajasthan, Bharat Samachar, News 7 Tamil, Sahara Samay MP/ Chhattisgarh, Jai Maharashtra and Sathiyam TV.
According to TRAI 2.0 rules maximum Network Capacity Fee (NCF) for the first 200 channels is Rs 130 and for more than 200 channels it is Rs 160. FTA Complimentary pack is a special curated package whose channels are not counted against the Network Capacity Fee.
The channels removed from FTA complimentary pack will continue to air on the platform, viewers who want to watch them have to subscribe to them on a-la-carté basis paying applicable NCF.
According to a recent report by domestic ratings agency CRISIL, Tata Sky has seen high subscriber addition and increase in its Average Revenue per User (ARPU) which should result in a healthy operating profit growth of 15-20% in fiscal 2020.
