DTH
Hathway launches broadband package for residential users
MUMBAI: Hathway Cable Internet has launched a high-speed broadband package- Hathway 256 kbps for Rs. 750 per month.
The package introduces high speed surfing at the above mentioned affordable rate and is aimed at encouraging the usage of broadband services and increasing the awareness level about broadband among residential users.
The new package is designed to give an enhanced online experience where the user will be able to access the Internet and its applications quicker. The annual charge is Rs 7500. The speed for data transfer counts only downloads and not uploads.
The package will also introduce mass subscribers into broadband. Earlier this year in March, Hathway had introduced packages of 128 kbps speed for Rs 300 a month.
Dwelling on the latest scheme Hathway MD and CEO K. Jayaraman said, “It has always been our endeavour to make broadband Internet affordable for the masses and encourage usage of broadband services. Till now speeds like 256 kbps were only targeted at the Corporate and Small Medium Businesses (SMBs). However with this price slash, 256 kbps broadband speeds will be well within the reach of the residential users. Hathway 256 kbps is going to be the benchmark for high speed Internet not only attracting more subscribers but also increasing awareness about broadband amongst the residential users.”
Hathway had also recently announced free net filtering solutions called Site Police for its annual subscribers. The aim was to prevent Internet abuse. The Internet filtering software stops pornography, chatting, games and other applications as per the subscriber’s wish.
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.
