DTH
Q3-2016: Videocon d2h YoY revenue up 22% on subscriber additions, higher ARPU
BENGALURU: Videocon d2h Limited reported 14.8 per cent YoY increase in net subscriber additions and 8.2 per cent YoY growth in ARPU for the quarter ended 31 December, 2015 (Q3-2016, current quarter). The company’s revenue from operations (TIO) increased 21.6 per cent YoY to Rs 731.49 crore in Q3-2016 as compared to Rs 601.53 crore. Subscriber addition brings in higher activation revenue.
The company achieved strong subscription and activation YoY revenue growth of 26 per cent at Rs 665 crore as compared to Rs 527.9 crore in the corresponding year ago quarter.
Videocon d2h added 6.7 lakh gross subscribers and 4.3 lakh net subscribers during the quarter. Gross subscribers totalled 149.5 lakh and net subscribers totalled 112.7 lakh as of 31 December, 2015. The company says that monthly churn came in at 0.73 per cent for the quarter and 0.80 per cent for the nine months ending 31 December, 2015, which was marginally ahead of the company guidance.
Note: 100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 10 million = 1 crore.
Average revenue per user (ARPU) in Q3-2016 increased 8.2 per cent to Rs 211 as compared to Rs 195 in Q3-2015 and increased 2.9 per cent as compared to Rs 205 in Q2-2016.
Videocon d2h reported 42.2 per cent YoY growth in adjusted EBITDA at Rs 201 crore for Q3- 2016 compared to Rs 141 crore in the corresponding year ago quarter. Net loss for the quarter declined to Rs 22.05 crore as compared to the net loss of Rs 79.8 crore in Q3-2015.
Videocon d2h executive chairman Saurabh Dhoot said, “I am delighted the company reported EBITDA growth of over 42 per cent in the quarter compared to last year. This is a result of strong subscriber and ARPU growth and our continued focus on margin improvement, in line with our expectations. We believe we are amongst the fastest growing media companies in the world delivering exceptional performance quarter after quarter. During the quarter, we continued to strengthen our content offering and added new channels on our platform. We recently added two transponders ahead of schedule. This further strengthens our content offering, which is one of our key competitive advantages. With this additional bandwidth we will continue to add more regional and HD channels to our platform in times to come.”
Speaking on the Phase III digitisation implementation, Videocon d2h CEO Anil Khera said, “Phase III digitisation has begun. The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting maintained their deadline and instructed broadcasters to switch off analogue signals in Phase III digitisation areas. In the first few days of January 2016, we saw strong pick up in subscriber additions in cities that come under Phase III digitisation. Recently, a few state high courts issued a stay order on implementation of Phase III digitisation for one – three months. This was in line with our expectations of the digitisation being a staggered process.”
“We estimate around 50 million television homes come under Phase III digitisation, of which 24-25 million television homes are already on the digital platform. Thus, the target market under Phase III digitisation is the remaining 25-26 million television homes that are currently on analog cable,” he added.
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.
