DTH
DTH operators lost 0.97 million subscribers at the end of September 2021: Trai
Mumbai: The number of active subscribers with pay DTH operators decreased from 69.86 million at the end of June to 68.89 million by the end of September, according to the latest Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) data. This is in addition to the subscribers of DTH Free Dish.
The top four DTH players are Tata Sky with 33.34 per cent, followed by Bharti Telemedia at 26.11 per cent, Dish TV India at 22.65 per cent and Sun Direct at 17.91 per cent. Bharti Telemedia and Sun Direct’s share increased whereas Tata Sky and Dish TV India’s share decreased over the previous quarter.
The total number of private satellite TV channels decreased from 915 in the previous quarter to 906 channels for uplinking only, downlinking only and both uplinking and downlinking. The number of pay TV channels increased from 346 to 348 which include 252 SD and 96 HD satellite pay TV channels.
There are 1745 multi-system operators registered with the I&B ministry out of which 12 MSOs and one Hits (headend-in-the-sky) operator have a subscriber base greater than one million.
The number of internet subscribers increased from 833.71 million to 834.29 million out of which 794.88 million were broadband subscribers and 39.41 million were narrowband subscribers. Wired internet subscribers increased from 23.58 million to 24.47 million. Out of total internet subscribers, 96.91 per cent are using mobile devices to access the internet.
The total number of VSAT subscribers increased from 289,392 to 289,557 quarter on quarter. Hughes Communications continues to be the market leader with 45.84 per cent share in VSAT with a subscriber base of 132,727 followed by Nelco at 75,535. Hughes added the maximum number of VSAT subscribers (3003) during the quarter. Bharti Airtel, BSNL and Infotel Satcom have registered a decline in their VSAT subscribers during the quarter. It should be noted that Hughes Communications and Bharti Airtel have combined the VSAT businesses of both companies in a new joint venture announced recently.
The average revenue per user of wireless subscribers in September stood at Rs 108.16 with revenue from data usage at Rs 97.36.
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.
