DTH
Alcatel, Samsung to develop mobile TV handsets in the S-Band
MUMBAI: France based comunications services provider Alcatel and Samsung Electronics have signed an agreement to develop mobile handsets compatible with the evolution of the DVB-H standard in the S-Band. This is part of Alcatel’s Unlimited Mobile TV solution.
The two parties will collaborate on interoperability testing in order to deliver a seamless end-to-end solution to operators and a high quality Mobile TV service to end-users. Both companies will support the standardization process of this solution in the DVB Forum undertaken in the DVB-SSP (Satellite Services for Portable devices) Ad-Hoc Group, and join forces to market their combined solution. In a first step, this agreement covers Europe, where the S-band spectrum is available today.
The solution in the S-Band allows complete territory coverage for Mobile TV at the scale of a country or even a continent, including inside buildings. Besides, this solution is compatible with DVB-H in UHF, which also enables the development of dual-mode UHF/ S-Band Mobile TV terminals.
Samsung senior VP Kwang Suk Hyun says, “Samsung values its new cooperation with Alcatel for handsets in the S-Band, as it opens the door to a significant new business opportunity for Samsung in Europe. S-Band is a solution of choice in Europe for Mobile TV deployment and Samsung intends to be a major player in this business.”
Alcatel’s mobile broadcast activities president Olivier Coste says, “We welcome Samsung as a new key stakeholder in the S-Band ecosystem for broadcast Mobile TV, as they enjoy a track record in fast Mobile TV handset development and go-to-market capability. Samsung’s endorsement of our hybrid mobile TV solution in the S-Band also demonstrates the attractiveness of this option for the Mobile TV industry at large.”
The goal of Alcatel’s “Unlimited Mobile TV” solution is to make television available on mobile phones throughout rural and urban areas, including indoors, with a wide range of programming options and excellent image quality, regardless of the number of viewers simultaneously watching the same programme.
This universal broadcast coverage is possible thanks to the unique combination of a high-power geo-stationary satellite for cost-effective nationwide coverage and a network of low power repeaters, co-located with mobile base stations, to provide urban and indoor coverage. This innovative solution uses an evolution of the DVB-H standard in the 2 GHz band (S-Band), a telecom frequency band between 2.17 and 2.2 GHz associated with satellite usage, which is adjacent to the 3G/UMTS band. This 30MHz band is currently available all across Europe.
DTH
DD Free Dish e-auction revenue dips to Rs 642 crore as slot sales fall
Revenue dips as revised norms reshape bidding in 94th round
NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati’s DD Free Dish has closed its 8th annual, and 94th overall, e-auction for MPEG-2 slots with total collections of Rs 642 crore for the period April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
That is lower than last year’s Rs 780 crore haul, with 55 slots sold compared with 61 in FY25–26. The softer topline reflects both a slimmer inventory and a recalibrated auction framework.
This was the first auction conducted after amendments to the e-auction methodology, including tighter eligibility norms and a revised reserve price structure for MPEG-2 slots. The stated aim was greater transparency and more serious participation. The immediate outcome appears to be more measured bidding in certain categories.
Day one set the tone. Eight slots were sold, six in the premium Bucket A+ and two in Bucket A. The strong early action in A+, which typically houses Hindi GECs and movie channels, reaffirmed the enduring appeal of mass Hindi programming on the platform.
Among the broadcasters securing slots in the initial rounds were Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Sony Pictures Networks India, Viacom18’s Colors network, Sun Network and Shemaroo Entertainment. Their continued presence signals that, despite the pull of digital platforms, Free Dish remains a strategic must have for legacy networks chasing scale in price sensitive markets.
The final bouquet of 55 channels leans heavily towards Hindi news, movies, devotional fare, Bhojpuri and regional programming.
In Hindi news, familiar heavyweights such as Aaj Tak, ABP News, India TV, News18 India, Republic Bharat and Zee News made the cut. Entertainment and movie offerings include Colors Rishtey, Star Utsav, Dangal TV, Sony Pal, Shemaroo TV, Goldmines, B4U Movies and Zee Biskope. Devotional viewers will find Aastha, Sanskar and Sadhna Gold among the selected channels.
Regional representation includes Sun Marathi, Fakt Marathi, PTC Punjabi and GTC Punjabi.
Equally telling were the absences. Broadcasters such as Big Magic, Filamchi Bhojpuri, India News, Bharat Express, Movieplex Maithili, TV9 Marathi, Shemaroo Marathibana, Zee Chitra Mandir and Satsang did not participate. The pullback is particularly visible across Marathi, Bhojpuri, Maithili and spiritual programming. Industry observers point to the revised reserve prices, tighter eligibility norms and a reassessment of commercial viability as possible factors.
DD Free Dish continues to beam into over 40 million homes, largely in rural and semi urban India. For advertisers and broadcasters alike, it offers efficient access to Bharat markets where pay TV penetration remains uneven and OTT subscriptions are limited.
The moderation in revenue this year may be read as a pause rather than a retreat. Fewer slots, a reworked auction playbook and evolving broadcaster strategies have clearly shaped outcomes. Yet premium Hindi entertainment retains its pull, and the platform’s mass reach remains hard to ignore.
As the FY26–27 line-up settles in, the mix of winners and walkaways will define the private satellite channel landscape on DD Free Dish for the year ahead.
