NEW DELHI: With five Direct-to-Home (DTH) service providers using transponder capacity leased from foreign satellites, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is taking measures to augment satellite capacity in India so that these users have the option to migrate to the INSAT system. 

Giving this information, Space Department Minister Jitenda Singh told the Lok Sabha today that ISRO has given a proposal for pricing of satellite transponders for public and non-government users.

A proposal for continuing the existing method of transponder pricing, which is based on type of services, band of operations, coverage area, power level is under consideration. 

There are 13 INSAT/GSAT satellites in orbit, out of which 11 are communication satellites and two are meteorological satellites. In INSAT/GSAT communication satellite systems, there are about 37 Government users and about 49 non-Government users. 

The transponder characteristics in terms of power, coverage, frequency band, etc., vary according to the type of service, which requires differential pricing.