MUMBAI: Malaysia's satellite television operator Astro is planning to offer more than 100 new channels by next year.This will add to the already existing six free to air television channels.

Government broadcaster RTM as well as private station TV3 operates in two channels while NTV7 and Channel Nine are the other two stations operating in Malaysia. Fine TV and MiTV are the other two companies which have also been issued broadcast licences.

Astro started operating subscription-based satellite television services six years ago.It now offers more than 50 television and radio channels, the company said in a news latter this month.

The offer for more channels will be made possible due to its third satellite, Measat 3. But the programming details has not been stated as yet.Astro at present has a subscriber base of more than 1.39 million in Malaysia and has a market share of 20 per cent of all television viewers which is the second highest of all stations in Malaysia.

Bulk of Astro's income comes from subscriptions so the rapid expansion of the station does not come at a huge cost to terrestrial stations.

The station collects more than RM1 billion a year from its subscribers and has paid advertisements on only a limited number of channels.