DTH
Airtel Digital TV adds 1.2 mn subscribers in FY20
KOLKATA: While Mukesh Ambani’s Jio has made quite a buzz for its innovation and acquisitions to expand its Jio Fiber business, Sunil Mittal’s Bharti Airtel is scaling up its DTH and broadband business. Airtel Digital TV added 1.2 million subscribers in FY 20 thanks to its premium HD content.
The DTH service has 16.6 million subscribers as of 31 March 2020 compared to 15.4 million subscribers in FY 19. Although the subscriber base went up, the revenue fell by 29 per cent. It has reported Rs 29,238 million for the year as compared to Rs 41,001 million in the previous year (an increase of 16 per cent on an underlying basis).
The company introduced Airtel Xstream services in FY 20 for its broadband and DTH customers with a 360 Degree campaign ‘Don’t just watch TV on your TV.' Moreover, its converged proposition of integrated home offering has been launched in ten cities as on 31 March 2020. Under the new offering, customers can opt for multiple services from Airtel i.e., postpaid, broadband and DTH under one bill.
“With an aim to widen our DTH market, we adopted an inclusive approach to empower our Rural Sales Fraternity, wherein freelancer technicians (electricians) and other workers were encouraged to sell and install new DTH connections at customer premises. In FY 2019-20, there were 4,099 active DOST executives across the country, engaged and empowered to drive new DTH activations,” it said in its annual report.
Airtel currently provides fixed-line telephone and broadband services for homes in 111 cities across India. The Homes business had 2.4 million customers as on 31 March 2020 up by 6.3 per cent as compared to 2.3 million at the end of the previous year. Revenues from this segment stood at Rs 22,451 million for the year as compared to Rs 22,391 million in the previous year, an increase of 0.3 per cent.
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DTH
Den Networks reports Rs 1,227 million FY26 profit growth
Revenue crosses Rs 10,009 million as margins improve and costs ease
MUMBAI: Not all signals are on screen some are buried in the balance sheet. Den Networks has reported a steady financial performance for FY26, with profit after tax rising to Rs 1,227.53 million, reflecting improved operational discipline despite a relatively flat top line. For the year ended March 31, 2026, the company posted revenue from operations of Rs 10,009.17 million, marginally higher than Rs 9,891.45 million in FY25. Total income stood almost unchanged at Rs 12,282.10 million compared to Rs 12,279.77 million a year earlier, signalling stability rather than aggressive expansion.
The real story, however, lies beneath the surface. Total expenses declined to Rs 10,648.32 million from Rs 10,691.30 million, driven by tighter cost controls across key heads. Employee benefit expenses dropped to Rs 548.64 million from Rs 651.52 million, while depreciation and amortisation expenses also eased to Rs 652.01 million from Rs 723.06 million, indicating a leaner operational structure.
As a result, profit before tax rose to Rs 1,633.78 million from Rs 1,588.47 million, while profit after tax improved to Rs 1,227.53 million, up from Rs 1,173.96 million in the previous year. Earnings per share stood at Rs 2.57, compared to Rs 2.46 in FY25, underlining incremental shareholder value creation.
On the balance sheet front, the company’s total assets expanded to Rs 43,416.76 million from Rs 42,496.64 million, supported by a sharp rise in bank balances to Rs 30,628.71 million. Equity also strengthened to Rs 38,532.74 million, reflecting accumulated profits and a growing financial cushion.
Cash flow dynamics, however, present a more nuanced picture. While investing activities generated a net inflow of Rs 632.80 million, operating activities saw an outflow of Rs 553.50 million, largely due to tax payments and working capital adjustments. The company ended the year with cash and cash equivalents of Rs 151.70 million, up from Rs 106.11 million.
Taken together, the numbers suggest a business that is prioritising efficiency over expansion holding revenue steady while tightening costs and strengthening its balance sheet. In an industry where growth often grabs headlines, Den Networks appears to be making a quieter statement: sometimes, resilience is the real signal.
