DTH
Dopod Communication unveils Windows mobile PDA phone – D600 in India
MUMBAI: Dopod Communication (India) Private Limited, PDA phone and Smartphone provider, has launched a new Windows mobile PDA model called the D600 in the Indian market.
The D600 is powered with the Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 and is bundled with applications which includes DirectPush Mail*, Internet Explorer Mobile, Office Mobile, Windows Media Player 10 Mobile, Pictures and Videos, Pocket MSN.
Additionally, the D600 combines a full featured quad-band mobile phone, with an inbuilt 2 Mega pixel CMOS Camera, a speakerphone with push-based wireless email, SMS, web browser and personal organizer applications – all on a large and high-resolution colour 71.1mm screen.
The launch follows from a favorable response to the previous three models – the 818Pro, the C800 and the C720W introduced in December 2006 by the company.
The D600 also offers users the option of a Voice Commander, allowing users to dial and control their music easily with their voice. All in all, the D600 model has been specially developed for active mobile professionals who want to manage their work wherever they are and also keep in touch with family, friends and access the latest news, informs an official release.
“We are pleased to introduce yet another revolutionary product in India that aims to enhance the mobile experience for the customers. The D600 is the perfect PDA phone for the Indian customers as it combines a stylish design with ease of use, and offers powerful functions, all packaged at a very attractive price point,” says Dopod International Corp. CEO Jack Tong.
Dopod Communication (India), regional sales manager Ajay Sharma said, “The D600 has a highly advanced interface and offers Personal Information Management (PIM) which allows users to easily sync the phone with their computer. It also features a sleek and stylish design, resulting in an innovative yet powerful device that is ideal for mobile phone users looking to upgrade from their existing handsets.”
The D600 will be available at all leading counters from 10 February at a maximum retail price of Rs. 22,893 (inclusive of all taxes).
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.
