DTH
Tata Sky deploys DataMiner to improve customer experience
MUMBAI: Tata Sky has an impeccable reputation as being best in class in the area of customer services, tech and offerings. It has constantly been investing in tech and customer service to stay ahead of the curve as compared to rivals – Freedish, DishTV-Videocond2h, SunDirect, Airtel Digital and Reliance Big TV.
Now the company, led by Harit Nagpal, has taken another step in that direction by deploying the DataMiner NMS/OSS (network management system & operations support system) to manage its direct-to-home (DTH) operations for both its pay TV and OTT services.
DataMiner is a global leader in end-to-end multi-vendor network management and OSS software solutions for the broadcast, satellite, cable, telco and mobile industry. Its NMS/OSS is deployed with a majority of DTH, satellite and service providers worldwide. Its customers include: Gazprom, MTS, France Television, Megacable, Mulitchoice, KPN, Immarsat, Singtel, ABC and many more. The company is a part of the Skyline Communications group.
The core of the DataMiner system is a cutting-edge multivendor protocol engine, enabling integration of any device or system from any vendor, regardless of its interface or protocol. In fact, it is already integrated with over 5000 devices and systems from more than 600 key industry suppliers, which represents by far the largest third-party integration deployment available in the industry.
The objective of Tata Sky, one of the first companies in India to launch multiple products and services, is to connect to the best content in the world on any budget, any screen, anytime and anywhere. And the Dataminer solution offered that.
Says Tata Sky chief technology officer Yigit Riza: “Tata Sky has invested in the best-of-breed technology infrastructure to ensure maximum uptime, reliability and scalability. Software applications such as CRM, billing and ERP are deployed in a clustered environment, which not only ensures high availability, but also enriches the experience of our subscribers.”
“The DataMiner Platform at Tata Sky offers one-screen access of the entire operation, including content acquisition and compression platforms across different vendors and technologies. The unified view enables users to easily access and configure services. DataMiner is also scalable, so we can add other equipment and systems in the near future, related to the RF platform and OTT platform,” adds Skyline Communications regional account manager- south Asia & middle east Pramod Gupta.
Gupta points out that DataMiner will help the DTH operator’s engineering room restore services as quickly as possible, either through automatic service redundancy switching or through operator-initiated switchover.
“Moreover, any embedded switchover functions in the network infrastructure can be integrated in DataMiner. DataMiner automation is versatile and adapts optimally to the operational environment. The tailored failover automation engines decrease the mean-time-to-repair to the absolute minimum for every failure scenario,” Gupta says.
For a customer like Tata Sky, this means it only need to invest in one NMS platform, instead of multiple proprietary and closed systems. End-to-end service orchestration and monitoring is at the heart of the platform.
With the number of channels as well as its in house VAS services increasing regularly, the company believes DataMiner will help it maintain or improve the QoS service it is reputed to deliver.
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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.
