DTH
Tata Sky ties-up with NDS Systems to create interactive service
MUMBAI: Tata-Sky has teamed up with NDS Group Plc in order to deploy NDS solutions to support and provide range of digital and interactive TV services, ahead of launch, which is slated in the mid-2006.
Tata-Sky is aiming to offer a superior television viewing experience to its subscribers.
NDS systems will play a key role in the end-to-end system architecture and launching the nationwide digital service. The NDS VideoGuard conditional access solution provides superior broadcast security, and enables Tata Sky to offer multiple programming and pricing packages. NDS is working with Tata Sky to build a world-class broadcast infrastructure, states an official release.
NDS’s MediaHighway middleware and Value TV interactive infrastructure will enable Tata Sky to offer interactive services to subscribers. NDS engineers in Bangalore will be key in the design, delivery and service support of the end-to-end solution.
The service will enhance the choice for viewers looking for the best of pay television services in the country. Tata Sky states that the platform will offer its subscribers a wide array of programming choices with interactive features and superior picture and sound quality.
Tata Sky Ltd CEO Vikram Kaushik said, “We are committed to building a state-of-the-art DTH operation in India for which we have selected NDS to provide end-to-end solutions. This will enable us to transfer control and choice into the hands of subscribers”.
NDS Asia Pacific VP and GM Sue Taylor said, “We are delighted to be selected by Tata Sky. This is an endorsement of the NDS position as the leader in conditional access systems. As systems integrator, NDS is uniquely capable of delivering the complex platform in the aggressive timescale set by Tata Sky.”
The digital technology of Tata Sky DTH service will eliminate many recurrent problems that consumers face while watching television in India. The DTH satellite signal is always on and will eliminate instances of service downtime caused by power cuts and cable cutting. The Tata Sky service will have fixed channel positions and pre-tuned audio levels, informs the official release.
DTH
Free Dish serves fresh slots as Prasar Bharati rings in e Auction 97
MPEG 4 slots for 2026–27 open with bids from March 16 and applications due March 9.
MUMBAI- When the Free Dish menu changes, broadcasters sharpen their forks. Prasar Bharati has formally opened applications for vacant MPEG-4 slots on its DD Free Dish direct to home platform, setting the stage for the 97th e-auction, scheduled to begin on March 16, 2026. The allotment will cover the broadcast period from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, continuing the public broadcaster’s annual auction cycle.
The notice, issued on February 9, 2026, lays out a familiar but finely sliced structure, with channels grouped into genre and language based “buckets”, each carrying its own reserve price and bidding dynamics. The aim is simple: widen content choice on DD Free Dish while keeping the playing field regulated and competitive.
At the premium end of the table, HD channels (Bucket H) will open with a reserve price of Rs 80 lakh, with bid increments of Rs 1 lakh.
Regional language channels are split across multiple rounds. Bucket R1, covering South Indian languages, and Bucket R2, which includes Marathi, Gujarati and Bengali, will both start at Rs 5 lakh in round one, moving up to Rs 15 lakh in the second round.
News and current affairs channels under Bucket G1 will begin at Rs 30 lakh, escalating to Rs 50 lakh in the next round, while the General Open round (GO) meant to mop up unfilled slots across categories carries a reserve price of Rs 70 lakh.
Eligibility remains tightly controlled. Participation is limited to satellite television channels licensed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, with international public broadcasters holding valid MIB licences also allowed to bid. Prasar Bharati has also reiterated strict content compliance norms, making genre and language declarations more than just paperwork.
To qualify as “predominant”, at least 75 percent of non advertising content must align with the declared genre and language. In overall terms, this means such content cannot fall below 60 percent of a channel’s total monthly telecast. Complaints will trigger a review by a designated committee, and persistent violations could result in the channel being taken off the platform.
Applications must be submitted online via the Prasar Bharati portal by 9 March, 2026, at 15:00 hours. Broadcasters will need to pay a non refundable processing fee of Rs 25,000 and a participation fee of Rs 3 lakh, along with submitting mandatory documents such as MIB permissions, channel logos and proof of carriage on other DTH or MSO platforms.
Successful bidders will be required to stick to a strict payment calendar. Delays will attract interest at 14.5 percent per annum, and repeated defaults could lead to forfeiture of the participation fee and removal from DD Free Dish.
As India’s only free to air DTH platform with massive reach, DD Free Dish continues to be a crucial gateway, especially in regional markets. With e-Auction 97, Prasar Bharati is once again reshuffling the platter and the industry is watching closely to see who gets served next.
