DTH
Ericsson catalyses Tata Sky HD channels to reach 50 by ’16-end
MUMBAI: Tata Sky has chosen Ericsson AVP 4000 compression platform to deploy 200 new channels Ericsson’s innovative encoding technology delivers enhanced picture quality, lower transmission delay and bandwidth efficiency. This deployment extends Ericsson and Tata Sky collaboration, which first began in 2004.
The Ericsson AVP 4000 is powered by the company’s first video processing chip, designed to deliver outstanding picture quality at HD and SD, in both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AVC and offers a strong roadmap for operators who wish to extend their service offerings to 4K and high dynamic range (HDR) technologies.
Ericsson’s AVP 4000 compression platform has been selected by Tata Sky, one of India’s leading Direct-to-Home (DTH) service-provider. The solution addresses the operator’s requirement for an encoding platform that meets the complex video processing demands associated with HD content.
The platform will transform Tata’s service offering and enable the delivery of 200 additional channels (150 standard definition and 50 HD) by the end of 2016. Part of the award winning Ericsson AVP encoding range, the Ericsson AVP 4000 compression platform offers superior quality system encoding for IPTV, cable, satellite and broadcast. It delivers greater reliability and flexibility with lower transmission delay to ensure media organizations use bandwidth more efficiently and ensure consumers receive a high quality viewing experience.
Tata Sky chief technology officer Yigs Riza, says: “As a long-term strategic partner of Tata Sky, Ericsson has continuously delivered significant bandwidth efficiencies year-over-year and its expertise will enable us to develop and deliver 50 new HD channels which respond to today’s growing market expectations. Ericsson’s AVP 4000 compression platform will not only significantly extend our channel offering, but also deliver the high quality, reliability and operational flexibility that our subscribers expect.”
Ericsson head of technology, TV & media, Giles Wilson, says: Ericsson is focused on providing its customers with the necessary technologies, innovations and services to help them do this. This latest project with Tata Sky reflects our continued commitment to offering market leading services that help our customers to achieve success through the delivery of more high quality content experiences to wider audiences.”
Ericsson is a world leader in communications technology and services. Its services, software and infrastructure – especially in mobility, broadband and the cloud – are enabling the telecom industry and other sectors to do better business, increase efficiency, improve the user experience and capture new opportunities.
Listed on NASDAQ OMX stock exchange in Stockholm and the NASDAQ in New York, Ericsson supports networks that connect more than 2.5 billion subscribers. Forty per cent of the world’s mobile traffic is carried over Ericsson networks.
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.
