Cable TV
MIB issues provisional MSO licence to Reliance Jio
MUMBAI: The wait is finally over for the Mukesh Ambani led Reliance Jio, as the company has finally got the provisional multi system operator (MSO) licence from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B). The licence was given on 17 June, 2015.
While I&B Ministry sources refused to comment on giving any such provisional licence, a source from the company confirmed the news saying, “We got the provisional MSO licence on 17 June.”
The telecom arm of Reliance Industries, Reliance Jio had applied for pan-India MSO licence in January 2015.
This comes soon after the I&B Ministry decided to give provisional licence to MSOs who had applied for licences to operate in phase III. It can be recalled that in October 2014, the Ministry had decided to do away with the system of granting provisional licences and only giving permanent licences in order to ensure that only serious players entered the phase III and IV markets.
While, the Ministry had then said that it along with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will process the MSO security clearance within 90 days, the same has not been followed. This resulted in the I&B going back to granting provisional licences.
Through a notice on 11 June, 2015, the Ministry accepted the delay in granting of security clearance by the MHA and so asked the close to 700 MSO licence applicants to file their application in an affidavit. Through the affidavit, the applicants had to commit that they have no criminal cases pending against them, and that they will shut down if they are refused security clearance.
“While we have got the provisional licence, now the MHA will come up with its guidelines, which we will need to follow to get the permanent licence. The reason that a provisional licence has been given is because the MHA was taking a lot of time to give security clearance,” said the source from the company.
It can be noted that two of the pioneers of Indian cable TV sector: K Jayaraman and SN Sharma have already joined Reliance Jio and will be spearheading its business in the country.
Reliance Jio 4G rollout
In its recent annual general meeting, Reliance Industries chairman and managing director Mukesh D Ambani informed that the ambitious 4G project will launch in December 2015 and that 2016-17 would be the first full year of commercial operations for Jio.
After expending money to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore in acquiring spectrum rights across the country, the company is targeting to provide 4G services across India with an investment of more than Rs 70,000 crore.
MUMBAI: When margins wobble, liquidity talks and in Q3 FY25-26, cash did most of the talking. Den Networks Limited closed the December quarter with consolidated revenue of Rs.251 crore, marginally higher than the previous quarter but down 4 per cent year-on-year, even as profitability stayed resilient on the back of strong cash reserves and disciplined cost control.
Subscription income softened to Rs.98 crore, slipping 3 per cent sequentially and 14 per cent from last year, while placement and marketing income offered some cheer, rising 15 per cent quarter-on-quarter to Rs.148 crore. Total costs climbed faster than revenue, up 7 per cent QoQ to Rs.238 crore, driven largely by higher content costs and operating expenses. As a result, EBITDA dropped sharply to Rs.13 crore from Rs.19 crore in Q2 and Rs.28 crore a year ago, pulling margins down to 5 per cent.
Yet, the bottom line refused to blink. Profit after tax stood at Rs.40 crore, up 15 per cent sequentially and only marginally lower than last year’s Rs.42 crore. A healthy Rs.57 crore in other income helped cushion operating pressure, keeping profit before tax at Rs.48 crore, broadly stable quarter-on-quarter despite the tougher cost environment.
The real headline-grabber, however, sits on the balance sheet. The company remains debt-free, with cash and cash equivalents swelling to Rs.3,279 crore as of December 31, 2025. Net worth rose to Rs.3,748 crore, while online collections accounted for 97 per cent of total receipts, underscoring strong cash discipline across operations, including subsidiaries.
In short, while Q3 showed signs of operating strain, the financial backbone remains solid. With zero gross debt, steady profits and a formidable cash war chest, the company enters the next quarter with flexibility firmly on its side proving that in uncertain markets, balance sheet strength can be the best growth strategy.
