Cable TV
Telstra, Microsoft, Broadcast Australia plan live mobile TV demonstration
MUMBAI: Telstra, Microsoft and Broadcast Australia have announced plans for Melbourne’s first live demonstration showcase of mobile TV as part of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.
This announcement follows the recent launch of Telstra’s live Big Pond mobile 3G and broadband service for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.
The demonstration will use Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld (DVB-H) technology, which allows simultaneous transmission of television, radio, video, audio and internet content to mobile phones, PDAs, PCs and other handheld devices.
The Melbourne showcase service will broadcast up to seven channels of live Commonwealth Games coverage, including Channel Nine coverage of the games on specially enabled Windows Mobile handheld devices. The handsets will operate using Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 software, and the content will be broadcast using Windows Media Video 9 compression technology to ensure efficient use of bandwidth. Broadcast Australia will provide the transmission infrastructure for the showcase service.
Telstra Commonwealth Games executive Phill Sporton said viewers would be able to catch medal-winning performances in the DVB-H showcase at the Telstra Discovery Centre in Birrarung Marr for the duration of the Games. “Telstra is pleased to be able to provide an opportunity for our customers and partners to experience the new entertainment content available on mobile devices of the future,” said Sporton.
The transmission of the DVB-H broadcast will begin on 15 March and end at the conclusion of the closing ceremony on 26 March.
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.
