NEW DELHI: Airtel Digital TV subscribers can use channel 998 to select channels on their television, then send the on-screen confirmation code to 54325 from the registered mobile number. Airtel's official instructions also describe SMS and app routes, allowing households to change their channel selection without treating the task as a new connection purchase.
| Task | Official route | What to keep ready |
|---|---|---|
| Select channels on television | Tune to channel 998 and follow the screen | TV, set-top box and registered mobile |
| Add an individual channel | Send ADD followed by the channel number to 54325 | Airtel channel number |
| Remove an individual channel | Send REM followed by the channel number to 54325 | Channel to remove |
| Review through the app | Services, then the DTH account | Customer ID if requested |
The distinction between the television channel number and the SMS destination is essential. Channel 998 is the on-screen management route. The number 54325 receives the message. The confirmation code displayed during the TV process is separate again: it identifies the selection being confirmed.
Start with the television route
Switch on the television and Airtel set-top box, then open channel 998. Airtel's guide describes a Help page with an Add Channels option. Use the remote's directional buttons to reach that option and follow the instructions shown. When the screen supplies a confirmation code, send that code to the SMS destination specified above.
Keep the registered phone available before starting. The official FAQ identifies it as the phone to use for this confirmation. That is particularly relevant in homes where the person watching television is different from the person who originally arranged the connection. Establish which family member holds the registered number before navigating through the selection.
The television route is useful when someone wants to see the available choices on the same screen used for viewing. It also avoids relying on a remembered channel number. Take time to read the selected service and the confirmation screen before sending the code; a familiar channel name can have a separate SD or HD version.
Use SMS for a known channel
For a direct addition, Airtel's guide gives the format ADD followed by the channel number, sent to 54325 from the registered phone. For removal, it gives REM followed by the channel number to the same destination. Replace the descriptive placeholder with the actual number assigned on Airtel's platform.
Airtel's FAQ says to leave the set-top box switched on when sending the addition or removal message. It also describes a confirmation message. Preserve that response until the requested change is reflected in the account, rather than assuming that composing an SMS has completed the process.
Use Airtel's own channel listing or the TV interface to identify the number. A number remembered from another operator is not evidence that it selects the same service here. This is a small but practical distinction for families moving between DTH providers or helping a relative with a different connection.
The app helps when reviewing the selection
Airtel's published app route starts in Services and then the DTH account. Its guide says the customer ID may be requested. For an individual channel, it describes choosing A-la-carte from the available categories, finding the channel and reviewing the confirmation or payment step.
That route suits the family member who manages the subscription budget and wants to review the change on a phone. Read the summary carefully. This article does not assign a universal channel price or promise a fixed activation time: the instructions reviewed do not establish either for every selection.
Changing a base pack is a separate task from adding a single channel. Airtel's FAQ describes selecting the DTH account, opening Connections and choosing Change Base Pack on its website. Decide which task you intend before proceeding, especially if the household wants to retain the rest of its existing selection.
Who this process is for
This guide is for existing Airtel Digital TV households adjusting what they watch. It is particularly useful when a favourite programme moves to a channel outside the current selection, or when the person managing recharges wants to remove a service the household no longer uses.
A channel change will not resolve every equipment or account issue. Our Airtel Xstream Fiber price list: Rs 499 to Rs 3,999 covers a different decision. Readers arranging a longer break should consult the separate Airtel DTH box replacement price list: Rs 300 to Rs 2,850 before confusing channel removal with pausing the connection.
Likewise, adding another television is a separate subscription question. Our Pause Airtel Digital TV: give 15 days' notice for a one-month break illustrates why another operator's multi-screen terms should not be applied to an Airtel channel request. Keep the provider, account and intended action clear throughout.
Official sources: Airtel channel addition and removal instructions and Airtel DTH FAQs.
