DTH
Pan Asian Mobile TV consortium formed
MUMBAI: SK Telecom, TOSHIBA , Glocal Media, and International Mobile Broadcasting Pte. Ltd. have announced the formation of the Pan Asian Mobile TV consortium to enable digital multimedia broadcasting for mobile operators in the region.
Trials are set to begin in early 2007 with leading mobile operators in Asia, asserts an official release.
Masashi Suenaga TOSHIBA said, “The vision will bring a new era of Broadcasting in the Asia region. People can enjoy informative, educational and entertaining live contents from all over the world anytime and anywhere with cell phone most cost effectively by adopting S-DMB system that was commercially proven in Japan and Korea.”
SK Telecom vice president J.H. Kah said, “The Pan Asian Mobile TV initiative will open a window of opportunity for the mass in the Asia Pacific region to enjoy a buffet of global contents ubiquitously through their mobile handset. This multilateral, cross-cultural initiative will exemplify the vision of a united Asia.”
Project leader Tom Navasero added, “The Pan Asian Mobile TV consortium is the region’s first enabler for a regional mobileTV service. The initiative will contribute to the public by providing mobile learning, and disaster prevention media. Pan Asian Mobile TV will be able to contribute to the mutual understanding and the unification of this region through content reciprocity.”
Glocal Media CEO Dennis Young said, “Glocal Media is very excited to be the content partner in this mobileTV consortium, we believe strongly that mobileTV is the next big thing and Asia is the place to do it. It offers us content owners a new distribution path to reach our customers and at the same time an opportunity to develop brand new forms of content that will be specific to mobileTV.”
SK Telecom is Korea based mobile communications company with more than 20 million subscribers. Toshiba deals in digital multimedia broadcasting and is the founder of MBCO (Mobile Broadcasting Company in Japan). Glocal Media is a content aggregator. International Mobile Broadcasting is the holder of Asian mobile TV licenses and spectrum.
DTH
Dish TV moves court seeking level playing field with DD Free Dish
DTH player flags unfair edge as free platform reshapes pay-TV market
MUMBAI: Dish TV has approached the Kerala High Court, seeking a level playing field with DD Free Dish, the free-to-air satellite platform run by Prasar Bharati.
At the heart of the dispute is what Dish TV calls a regulatory imbalance. The company has urged the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to bring DD Free Dish under the same rules as private direct-to-home operators, including mandatory encryption and compliance with the Digital Addressable System under existing laws such as the Indian Telegraph Act and the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act.
Private DTH platforms are required to encrypt their signals, meaning viewers need authorised set-top boxes and paid subscriptions. In contrast, DD Free Dish remains unencrypted, allowing access through basic equipment without monthly fees, a difference Dish TV argues creates a structural advantage.
In its petition, Dish TV has described the current framework as arbitrary and discriminatory, alleging it undermines constitutional guarantees of equality and the right to trade. The company pointed out that while private operators shoulder the cost of encryption infrastructure, licensing fees and regulatory levies, DD Free Dish operates without similar obligations despite scaling up significantly.
Originally launched to distribute Doordarshan channels, DD Free Dish has steadily morphed into a quasi-commercial platform. It now carries around 120 private channels and generates substantial revenue through slot auctions, with earnings rising sharply over the years, according to the petition.
The case also throws a spotlight on shifting dynamics within India’s television market. Pay DTH operators have been grappling with a shrinking subscriber base, which has fallen from nearly 70 million in 2021 to about 51 million in 2025. At the same time, DD Free Dish has expanded its reach to roughly 53 million households, buoyed by viewers in price-sensitive regions opting for free access over paid subscriptions.
The migration has been further fuelled by broadcasters placing popular channels on the free platform, making it an increasingly attractive alternative for households looking to cut costs.
The Kerala High Court has admitted the petition and scheduled the next hearing for June 2, 2026. It also noted that a recent notice by Prasar Bharati inviting regional channels to uplink on DD Free Dish without carriage fees until March 31, 2026 will remain subject to the final outcome of the case.
Regulators have already acknowledged the gap. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, in its July 2024 recommendations, proposed a shift towards an addressable system for DD Free Dish, though these suggestions are not binding. The government is yet to take a final call, mindful of the platform’s reach among millions of households.
The petition follows repeated representations from private players and bodies such as the All India Digital Cable Federation, all flagging the same concern: a fast-growing free platform competing in a paid market without the same rulebook.
As the courtroom battle unfolds, the outcome could redraw the contours of India’s pay-TV ecosystem, deciding whether the free ride continues or the rules of the game finally converge.
