DTH
Trai warns some MSOs against analogue streaming in Cas areas
NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has warned all the MSOs that strict action would be taken against anyone beaming analogue signals in Cas (conditional access system) areas.
This was informed to the MSOs at a meeting at Trai office on Friday. Trai said that this would have to be stopped with immediate effect, as it went against the law. Trai advisor Rakesh Kakkar told indiantelevision.com that the the regulator would come down with a heavy hand on anyone beaming analogue signals, as has been happening in some cases.
Trai took stock of the ground situation regarding the availability of set-top boxes (STBs) and was reportedly convinced that there is no real shortage, but there is some delay in actual deployment due to the last minute placement of orders by subscribers.
The MSOs also stated their positions about how many STBs have been deployed and how many are being imported. Reportedly, most MSOs are going for airlifting of STBs next week.
Kakkar said that there was no shortage of STBs, but because of bunching of applications by consumers, there is problem with deployment. He added that there are some technical problems due to lack of stabilisation because of a sudden rush of orders for boxes in a short period.
There are reports that customers are not getting channels as per the rules, and though the streaming is digital, no bouquet or a ala carte choice is available at the moment. In fact, Kakkar asked: “You must be getting the same channels through the Cas boxes as you did without Cas isn’t it?” That is because of the rush and customers not filling their forms in time, and also because the boxes given out in the initial rush were all preset, he explained. This will change soon, he added.
MSO sources said also that they assured that there are enough boxes. One representative said that his company’s seeding is already 9,000 boxes a day. Incablenet representative Ashok Mansukhai said: “We have told Trai that our deployment would reach 10,000 boxes per day. We will be airlifting boxes from next week.”
Wire & Wireless Ltd is also getting in additional boxes. “We have deployed 1.5 lakh boxes across the three metros over the past five days. We are going for airlifting of new boxes. By next week we will have 50,000 more boxes brought in, and by 31 January, we shall have additional 1.5 lakh boxes in position for deployment. This is apart from the 34,000 boxes awaiting clearance at Mumbai airport and another 12,500 boxes at Kolkata airport,” said WWIL executive vice president Arvind Mohan.
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.
