DTH
MobiTV integrates broadcast, cellular networks for seamless mobile TV service
MUMBAI: Mobile video service provider MobiTV Inc, said it has successfully integrated today’s cellular networks with new forthcoming DVB-H technologies to deliver live and on-demand television via both unicast and broadcast networks in one seamless unified service solution.
MobiTV chairman and CEO Phillip Alvelda said, “One of the most important lessons we have learned from operating this live TV network for mobile phones over the past few years, is that the future of mobile television requires a multinetwork offering that hides all of the multinetwork complexity from the consumer. This astounding new technology allows us to extend the MobiTV solution that has been so successful over the last few years to encompass any of the new broadcast TV delivery standards and address capacity, interactivity and quality requirements all at the same time.”
Cellular and broadcast networks address different usage scenarios. While broadcast and multicast technologies address concentrated demand for the most popular content, cellular networks provide a dedicated connection which enables carriers to offer personalized content and integrated mobile-commerce. Combining network infrastructures allows operators to take advantage of the strengths of each to deliver consistently high-quality media content to consumers, said MobiTV executives, according to an official release.
“As usage grows and the number of customers using mobile television grows, networks will require careful capacity management through co-existing solutions such as unicast, in-band multicast and DVB-H solutions. If broadcast technologies are needed in the future, we believe the ideal solution for operators and subscribers is a system that seamlessly leverages and combines the strengths of the available networks solutions,” said MobiTV COO and co-founder Paul Scanlan.
MobiTV also will deliver features including seamless navigation and content discovery; unified billing, provisioning and authentication; live and on-demand media ingestion; electronic programming guide; premium channel purchase; mobile commerce; in-stream advertising; integrated music content; integrated clip assets; VoD and PVR functionality; location-based services; blackout management; and DMA content restrictions.
MobiTV has also announced that over one million users now subscribe to its mobile television services worldwide. Since launching in November 2003, MobiTV has signed-on more than 50 international content partnerships and deployed its television services on more than 20 mobile networks worldwide.
Earlier this year at the 3GSM World Congress, MobiTV announced support for several other network delivery standards including DMB, MBMS, BCMCS, TDtv, WiMax, and WiFi.
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.
