DTH
Tata Sky deploys speech recognition technology to improve customer experience
MUMBAI: Direct to home (DTH) operator Tata Sky will enter in the New Year, with the promise to service its customers better. And in keeping with that, the operator has partnered with Nuance Communications for its speech recognition technology which will be deployed in all Tata Sky contact centres.
With this technology, customers calling into the contact centre can speak naturally, in English, Hindi and 10 additional Indian languages, to resolve their questions or be routed to the appropriate customer service representative.
Tata Sky has a widespread network, providing over 270+ channels and interactive services Pan India. Previously, customers calling into the contact centre would have to navigate through lengthy menu prompts to be routed to the appropriate agent to handle their question, causing unnecessarily long call times. Tata Sky turned to Nuance to implement speech recognition technology into their Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system so that callers could simply state the reason for their call. A popular service provided by Tata Sky is allowing customers to simply say the name of a movie and the desired time for viewing in order to watch a Showcase movie. This process is now completely automated and saves customers from having to wait to speak to an agent to order a Showcase movie, reducing unnecessary call transfers and allowing agents to answer more complex queries.
Tata Sky CEO & managing director Harit Nagpal said, “We wanted to provide our customers with a convenient experience that provided them with the service they desired quickly and eliminated the need to wait for an agent. We looked to Nuance’s speech and language solutions because of Nuance’s ability to service our customers in English, Hindi and 10 additional Indian languages as well as the robustness of the solution in terms of handling calls quickly and efficiently. Nuance’s professional services helped us to build a solution that integrated well with our current system and mapped well with our business processes. This deployment has successfully impacted the customer experience at Tata Sky.”
“Tata Sky’s IVR speech implementation has given them a real advantage when it comes to servicing their customers, setting them apart from the competition,” said Nuance general manager, India & ASEAN Sunny Rao.
“Speech recognition allows customers to have an experience that exceeds expectations. Customers can now receive service how and when they want, by choosing their preferred language and speaking conversationally,” concluded Rao.
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.
