DTH
Q1-2016: Airtel DTH revenue up 15.8% at Rs 684.8 crore
BENGALURU: Bharati Airtel Limited’s Digital TV services – Airtel DTH reported 15.8 per cent increase in y-o-y revenue to Rs 684.8 crore in the quarter ended 30 June, 2015 (Q1-2016) as compared to the Rs 591.5 crore in Q1-2015 and 7.9 per cent more than the Rs 634.8 crore in Q4-2015.
The telecom major’s DTH segment reported a 67 per cent growth in operating profit (EBIDTA) in the current quarter at Rs 240.8 crore (46.1 per cent margin) as compared to the Rs 143.8 crore (24.3 per cent margin) in Q1-2015 and 15.9 per cent more than the Rs 207.8 crore (32.7 per cent margin) immediate trailing quarter.
Note: 100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 10 million = 1 crore
The Airtel DTH segment customer base reported 10.9 per cent y-o-y growth for the current quarter at 104.12 lakh as compared to the 93.88 lakh in Q1-2015 and 3.4 per cent growth as compared to the 100.73 lakh in Q4-2015. Average revenue per user (ARPU) in Q1-2016 improved to Rs 222 as compared to the Rs 214 in both Q1-2015 and Q4-2015. Monthly churn in the current quarter was higher at 0.8 per cent as compared to the 0.6 per cent in the corresponding year ago quarter, but lower than the one per cent in the immediate trailing quarter.
Airtel MD and CEO, India & South Asia Gopal Vittal said, “The year has begun on a healthy note, with underlying revenue growth accelerating to 12.7 per cent in India. Our customer base has continued to steadily expand. Mobile minutes and data traffic have grown by 7.4 per cent and 83.4 per cent respectively. I am pleased that our revenue growth is broad based across all business units, especially the domestic enterprise and corporate segment, which saw revenues grow by 18.1 per cent, and DTH business, which had an underlying topline growth of 26.8 per cent. Our capex programme is mostly directed at increasing 3G / 4G coverage and improving all-round customer experience.”
Overall, Airtel says that consolidated revenues for Q1-2016 at Rs 23,671 crore grew by 3.1 per cent over the corresponding quarter last year. Consolidated Mobile data revenues at Rs 3,459 crore, grew by 56.9 per cent y-o-y, uplifted by data traffic growth of 86.5 per cent. India revenues reported a growth of 10 per cent y-o-y, led by 22.2 per cent in Airtel business (B2B) and 15.8 per cent in Digital TV.
Adjusted for the impact in reduction of termination rates, India revenues grew on an underlying basis by 12.7 per cent and Mobile revenues by 12.2 per cent y-o-y. Mobile Data revenue at Rs 2,609 crore registered a growth of 67.3 per cent y-o-y in India, uplifted by increase in the Data customer base by 25.8 per cent and traffic by 83.4 per cent. Data ARPU has moved up by Rs 42 to Rs 181 in Q1-2016, led by 42.7 per cent increase in data usage per customer. Mobile Data revenues contribute to 19.2 per cent of Mobile India revenues vis-?-vis 12.4 per cent in the corresponding quarter last year.
Consolidated EBITDA in Q1-2016 at Rs 8262 crore grew by 6.4 per cent y-o-y with EBITDA margin expanding by 1.1 per cent to 34.9 per cent, driven by India’s margin expansion by 2.1 per cent y-o-y. Net Profit after tax (PAT) increased 40.2 per cent to Rs 1554.3 crore (6.6 per cent margin) in Q1-2016 as compared to the Rs 1108.5 crore (4.8 per cent margin) and was 23.8 per cent more than the Rs 1255.3 crore (5.4 per cent margin) in Q4-2015.
DTH
Dish TV launches ‘Kuch chhota sa’ campaign for TV flexibilit
New campaign highlights 190+ channels, Always-On service, Rs 99 Freedom Pack.
MUMBAI- Sometimes, the smallest remote click can fix the biggest daily friction and Dish TV is betting on exactly that insight. The company has rolled out a new campaign built around the thought ‘Kuch chhota sa karne par, life hogi behtar’, turning everyday viewing annoyances into a case for simpler, more reliable television access.
The campaign taps into a familiar household reality: millions of viewers continue to rely on free-to-air channels but increasingly want the flexibility of premium content, often ending up with a patchy and inconsistent viewing experience. Dish TV positions itself as the middle path—a structured yet flexible alternative that promises continuity without complexity. At its core is the pitch of an “Always-On” service, designed to keep content accessible even when recharge timelines slip, effectively reducing one of the most common friction points in DTH consumption.
To strengthen this proposition, the platform is offering access to over 190 channels, alongside a flexible pricing hook through its Freedom Pack, starting at Rs 99. The pack is positioned as a seasonal companion particularly relevant during high-engagement periods such as cricket tournaments, school holidays and festive windows, when content consumption spikes but users may not want long-term commitments.
Conceptualised by Enormous, the campaign unfolds through two master films and three short edits rooted in slice-of-life storytelling. From a husband quietly navigating around his sleeping wife to siblings striking a compromise over a coveted window seat, the narratives lean into humour and relatability rather than heavy messaging. The underlying idea remains consistent: small adjustments can meaningfully improve everyday experiences.
The rollout spans a full 360-degree media mix, including television, digital platforms, on-ground activations, point-of-sale visibility, Google Display Network placements and influencer-led content, signalling a push for both scale and contextual engagement.
As viewing habits continue to evolve in a hybrid ecosystem of free and paid content, Dish TV’s latest play reflects a broader industry shift where reliability and flexibility are increasingly positioned as differentiators, not just add-ons. In a market crowded with choice, the brand’s wager is simple: sometimes, it’s the smallest tweak that keeps audiences tuned in.
