How To Add FTA, Paid & Combo Channels To Rs 130 Base Pack? Here’s Your Complete Guide

While the new TRAI Cable TV Rules are going to be effective in a few days, the confusion among customers continue. While you have the liberty to choose what you want to watch now, it’s still not clear how to do it.

Under the current TRAI rules, the base pack starts at Rs 130, excluding GST.

Soon, the days will be over where you no more will have to pay for the channels you don’t watch. The base Rs 130 pack can have 100 SD under the latest TRAI cable TV ruling. has issued another clarification. So the Rs 130 base after taxes will cost Rs 153.40.

So, You Can Choose Any Channel Under The Rs 130 Base Pack?

While TRAI said you can add any channel you want, it comes with certain limitations. This is where the confusion is created. There are basically free to air channels, paid channels and bouquet of pay channels. Under the Rs 130 base pack, you can choose a combination of these type of channels.

January 31 is the last date. You will have choose your pack by the TRAI deadline.

Which Paid Channels Can You Choose Under The Rs 130 Base Pack?

There has been a lot of confusion as to which paid channels you can choose as part of your Rs 130 base pack. Under the base pack, apart from the FTA (Free To Air) channels, you can choose any paid channel, and the cost keeps adding up. But do remember, that you can only add up to a total of 100 channels under the base pack.

Also: FTA (Free To Air) Channels: Complete List

Now supposedly if you want to add more channels, then you will have to pay Rs 25 extra for every 20 channels, excluding their individual prices.

How To Add Paid Channels To Rs 130 Base Pack?

You can add a-la carte channels to your Rs 130 base pack. To choose channels, either you have to contact your cable TV operator or can do it by yourself.

Follow the steps to add paid channels to Rs 130 base pack:

Step 1. Search for Electronic Programme Guide (EPG). This will include the maximum retail price (MRP) of all the channels.

Step 2. You can see the price of an a-la carte channel in the Electronic Programme Guide (EPG).

Step 3. If you can’t find the Electronic Programme Guide (EPG), you can find the respective prices in the Menu option of your set top boxes.

[Note: TataSky customers will not see the option, as the DTH operator is yet to start its migration.]

Step 4. All the prices will be managed by your Distribution Platform Operator (DPO), who can also offer a discount on the MRP displayed on the EPG.

Step 5. If you wish to choose a bouquet of channels from a single broadcaster, like Star or Sony, you can choose the pack instead of a-la carte channels.

Under the new TRAI Cable TV regulations, you are allowed to choose what you wish to watch. This can either be paid channels in the form of bouquet or a-la carte or FTA (Free To Air) channels.

Do mind, that the base pack starts at Rs 130 (before taxes), which is the standard package for all the Cable TV users across the country.

Finally, if you still cannot find any pricing details, kindly visit your DTH provider’s website for the channel pricing details. Again, India’s largest DTH operator, TataSky is yet to start its migration. So, TataSky users will have to wait till the company starts to roll out new plans.

You can also check the official channel prices here – Full List.