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Tag: Anil Ambani

  • Jio continues leading broadband subs addition while wireline internet loses subs in Oct

    Jio continues leading broadband subs addition while wireline internet loses subs in Oct

    BENGALURU: Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani’s Reliance Infocomm Limited (Jio) closed the month with 145.96 million wireless broadband subscribers having added 7.34 million subscribers during October 2017. Since 1 January 2017, the new telecom behemoth has added 129.91 million subscribers between 1 January 2017 and 31 October 2017 according to data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai). In terms of growth, however, Jio had to accede to third place–it grew by 5.30 percent as compared to 7.69 percent growth by the Sunil Mittal-led Bharti Airtel Limited and 5.31 percent growth by Vodafone in October 2017.

    India’s wireline broadband internet subscriber base has been declining over the past few months. Overall, the number of wired broadband internet subscriber base declined by 0.33 percent month-on-month in October 2017 to 17.98 million from 18.04 million. Among the top-five wired broadband service providers, the three private players gained subscribers while the public sector service providers lost them.

    Overall broadband internet service providers

    The top-five service providers (across wired, mobile wireless and fixed wireless, such as Wi-fi, Wi-Max, point-to-point, radio, and V-Sat) constituted 92.17 percent share of the total broadband subscribers at the end of October 2017. These service providers were Jio (145.96 million), Bharti Airtel (66.92 million), Vodafone (48.42 million), Idea Cellular (31.03 million), and BSNL (21.21 million).

    Top-five wireless broadband internet service providers

    In October 2017, the wireless broadband internet subscriber base in India grew by 15.34 million. Jio numbers have been mentioned above. Airtel reported the second largest addition of wireless subscribers in the month with 4.63 million additions to reach a subscriber base of 64.8 million. Vodafone added 2.44 million subscribers in the month under review and reached a subscriber base of 48.41 million followed by Idea Cellular which added 1.42 million subscribers with a subscriber base of 31.03 million as on 31 October. Anil Dhirubhai Ambani-led Reliance Communications Limited (RCom) had a stable wireless broadband subscriber base in October 2017 of 8.98 million.

    According to Trai data, as on 31 October 2017, the top-five wireless broadband service providers were Jio (145.96 million), Bharti Airtel (64.80 million), Vodafone (48.41 million), Idea Cellular (31.03 million), and Reliance Communications (8.98 million).

    Top-five wireline broadband internet service providers

    As on 31 October 2017, the top-five wired broadband service providers were BSNL (9.48 million), Airtel (2.13 million), Atria Convergence Technologies or ACT(1.26 million), MTNL (0.94 million), and Hathway Cable & Datacom (0.68 million). As mentioned above, Airtel, ACT and Hathway gained 0.01 million, 0.02 million and 0.01 million subscribers, respectively, in October 2017 while BSNL and MTNL lost 0.06 million and 0.1 million subscribers, respectively.

    Other broadband internet service providers

    MSOs and (LCOs) or cable video service providers also offer wired broadband internet services in the country. These cable service providers have a number of subsidiaries and alliances, hence broadband numbers are split as applicable. The consolidated subscription numbers of these entities could be larger than the numbers of some of the wired internet services providers mentioned above. However, it must be noted that some of these MSOs and LCOs could have lost subscribers in October 2017 considering that the top-five wired broadband internet services providers have lost only 0.03 million of the 0.06 million wireline internet subscribers in during the month.

  • Broadband: Jio leads wireless; Hathway enters top-five list

    Broadband: Jio leads wireless; Hathway enters top-five list

    BENGALURU: Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (Jio) continued expanding its subscriber base one year after launch as per Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) data for September 2017 (Sep-17, as on 30 September 2017, month under review). The wireless broadband internet subscriber base in India grew by 8.41 million to which Jio added 70 percent or 5.94 million subscribers during the month.

    The heavily indebted Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications Limited (RCom), which will shut voice call services from 1 December 2017, continued to lose wireless broadband internet subscribers in Sep-17. RCom lost 1.89 million subscribers during the period under review.

    In the meantime, the wireline broadband internet subscriber base in the country continued the decline that commenced in July-17. Wireline broadband internet subscriber base in India fell by 0.106 million in September 2017 to 18.04 million from 18.11 million at the end of August 2017.

    Hathway Cable and Datacom Limited (Hathway) entered the list of top five wireline broadband internet service providers in the country at fifth place with an internet subscriber base of 0.67 million. It displaced You Broadband which had a subscriber base of 0.66 million as on 31 August 2017.

    Among the top five wireline broadband services providers in the country from the August 2017 list, only Bharati Airtel (Airtel) which is ranked second added 0.01 million subscribers to reach wireline internet subscriber bases of 2.12 million. The third largest wireline internet player in India and probably the largest private sector player in South India- Atria Convergence Technologies (ACT) reported no change in its August 2017 internet subscriber base of 1.24 million.

    The fall in wireline internet subscribers was once again led by the public sector government telecom companies – Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telecom Nigam Limited (MTNL). The former lost 0.06 million subscribers, while the latter lost 0.01 million in September 2017. The largest wireline internet player in terms of subscribers, BSNL, closed September 2017 with a wireline internet subscriber base of 9.54 million, while its smaller public sector peer closed the month with a subscriber base of 0.95 million. MTNL is the fourth largest wireline internet services provider in the country in terms of subscriber base.

    Overall broadband internet service providers

    The top five broadband service providers (wireless and wireline) constituted 91.64 percent market share of the total broadband subscribers at the end of Sep-17. These service providers were Jio (138.62 million), Airtel (62.29 million), Vodafone (45.98 million), Idea Cellular (29.61 million) and BSNL (21.24 million).

    Top five wireless broadband internet service providers

    As on 30 September 2017, the top five wireless broadband service providers were Jio (138.62 million), Airtel (60.17 million), Vodafone (45.97 million), Idea Cellular (29.61 million) and Reliance Communications (8.98 million).

    After Jio, Vodafone added the second largest number of wireless subscribers – 2.42 million or 28.5 percent of the total subscribers added in September 2017. Airtel added 21.4 million or the third largest number of wireless subscribers (25.2 percent while Idea cellular added 0.15 million wireless internet subscribers.

    Other broadband internet service providers

    Multi-system operators (MSOs) and local cable operators (LCOs) or cable video service providers also provide wired broadband internet services in the country. These cable service providers have a number of subsidiaries and alliances, hence broadband numbers are split as applicable. The consolidated subscription numbers of these entities could be larger than the numbers of some of the wired internet services providers mentioned above. However, it must be noted that some of these MSOs and LCOs could have lost subscribers in September 2017, considering the fact that the top five wired broadband internet services providers have lost only 0.05 million of the 0.106 million wireline internet subscribers in September 2017.

  • After telecom, Jio to bite into broadband and TV

    After telecom, Jio to bite into broadband and TV

    MUMBAI: After disrupting the telecom sector, Muskesh Ambani led Reliance Jio is now heading towards the fixed broadband and television space.

    The company will launch high speed fibre to the home (FTTH) broadband in more than 30 cities early next year, to offer TV as well as internet to subscribers, it is learnt.

    As reported by Business Standard, Jio has mapped out a plan to address over 100 million TV households across these cities, including tier II and III, by ensuring dense fibre presence for last-mile connectivity to homes. In the first phase itself, at least 50 million households will be offered the service, according to sources in the know.

    Jio has already spread out over 300,000 kilometres of optic fibre (half of which is through a long-term contract with Anil Ambani’s Reliance Communications).

    In his annual speech, Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani indicated that Jio was on track to offer high-speed broadband services. The infrastructure was in place and it would be the next big monetisation opportunity for the company, he had said.

    According to the news report, Jio is expected to woo customers with premium offers such as ultra-high speed of up to 1 gigabit per second. The set-top box, as part of the package, will be a home entertainment hub – offering TV channels, high-end gaming and video on demand, among others.

    Jio is eyeing an average revenue per user of around Rs 1000 to Rs 1500 per month from subscribers (which includes internet and TV), as their usage of data goes up, a source said.

    Trials are being conducted in Mumbai and Delhi with only internet services at speeds of 100 megabits per second and 100 gigabytes of data free of cost. It is providing a special router, which connects multiple devices at a refundable deposit of Rs 4500. With a multi-service operator (MSO) licence in place, it will also offer TV services.

    Representatives of conventional TV industry cite numbers to back their claim that this is a tough game. While there are 180 million TV households in the country, subscribers fork out an average of only Rs 300- 400 a month for as many as 400 to 500 channels currently, they say.

    Competitors also say that currently, only three million subscribers cough up over Rs 1000 for high-speed broadband internet and only two million rustle up a similar amount per month for DTH or cable. So, the market that Jio is looking to address is currently niche and a small one.

    “Deploying FTTH is an expensive business and obviously Jio is making large investments. So, they have to get an adequate return on their investments. They might offer free broadband like they are doing currently and as they did earlier in the mobile space,” said a top industry executive to BS. But they will have to increase tariffs to make money and that might not translate into mass adoption.

    If the experiment succeeds, the number of households with TV and broadband, currently growing very slowly, could just explode, he said.

  • ZEEL CEO Punit Misra says: “We intend to compete fairly”

    ZEEL CEO Punit Misra says: “We intend to compete fairly”

    MUMBAI: Last year in October,  Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) appointed Hindustan Unilever (HUL) sales and customer development executive director Punit Misra as ZEEL domestic broadcast business CEO.  Coming from the FMCG sector Misra has entered the television industry with an advantage – ‘ both the businesses depend on consumer behaviour’.

    ZEEL is now the largest broadcaster in India.  First it acquired Anil Ambani led Reliance Broadcast business and recently bagged 9X Media.

    In a conversation with Indiantelevision.com’s Sonam Saini, Misra shares his one year experience and plans going forward.

    Excerpts:  

    How do FMCG and TV broadcasting compare since both of them depend on understanding audience behaviour?  

    As you said rightly, it’s all about consumer and consumer practise and not building brands. Building brands happens through content- that’s the difference because people use soap once in a day for those 3-5 minutes, but here people sit and consume and get emotionally attached. They can talk about hours but I don’t think consumers can sit and talk about consumer brands this much, so that’s the difference.

    You have completed a year in ZEEL. How has been the experience of heading a broadcast business?

    I am loving every minute here. I began with knowing nothing but there are a lot of things to do.

    Did you initiate the change after you took charge?

    It’s our initiative, not any one individual’s. Nothing works in any industry or any company because of one person. Deepak Rajadhyaksha has been raising and crafting a lot of things. Pratyusha is there and the agency team. I can’t even claim that I have done something.

    Did Punit Goenka take you through the company’s process in your first few days? How did he guide you?

    He is guiding me today as well. He’s just an amazing person. He guiding and gives space and I marvel at how he manages both at the same time. It is just incredible to have him as coach.

    What were the challenges that you faced? What milestones are you personally proud of?

    Firstly, we are supposed to learn before we start taking decisions. For me that was important because coming from a non-TV background I had to spend time to know the business, the people and the brand.

    Along with the team we are fantastically proud with the fact that we are the number one network. The fact that Zee TV is the number channel in HSM, I am proud of that.  I am  proud of the team that I have. We have retained key talent in the company since so many years.

    How do you view Zee’s presence in the market given competitors like Star and Sony are ramping up properties?

    They all have been in the market while competing. We are proud that we are number one in the Hindi speaking market Zee TV and Zee Anmol. Competition is good for the industry and for us as well.  We intend to compete fairly. KBC has grown fantastically, Sony has done a really great job. Star got IPL and congratulations to them. Colors suddenly took a hit but are back from the lead. Things to learn from them. We are all friends but otherwise we are competing tooth and nail in the space to win the viewer.  

    What was the idea behind 9X acquisition? What is the strategy for it?

    It’s the number one group in music genre that’s the reason we acquired the channels. We are still conceptualising the strategy.

    Why are you doing this channel refresh? Was there a need?

    All brands will come to a stage and think that now is the time to change and we believed that we were not doing well last year. We slipped to be in the middle. As today you know we are on number one and the timing is right.

  • ZEEL gets NCLT approval for restructuring acquired Anil Ambani GEC business

    MUMBAI: The Essel Group owned Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) is moving ahead on getting legal approvals for the restructuring of the Anil Ambani-promoted Reliance general entertainment television broadcasting business.

    Yesterday, it got the thumbs up from the Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for its arrangement to demerge the general entertainment broadcast business Reliance Big Broadcasting (RBB) Pvt Ltd, Big Magic Ltd (BML) and Azalia Broadcast Pvt Ltd.

    These companies had come its way when it announced its deal to acquire 100 per cent of Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd’s (RBNL’s) TV business while sister company Zee Media Corp swallowed 49 per cent of its radio business for approximately Rs 1,900 crore in late November 2016. The

    At the time of the acquisition, RBBL, BML and Azalia had top lines of Rs 61.17 crore, Rs 58.95 crore and Rs 0.06 crore respectively for the year ended 31 March 2016. While the first had five TV channel licences (two were operational –Big Magic and Big Ganga, three non-operational Big Gaurav, Big Magic Punjab and Big Magic HD), the second looked after the ad sales and distribution of the channels, and the third had one TV licence for Big Magic Thrill.

  • CCI reviewing Jio-RCom pact for sharing 800 MHz spectrum

    MUMBAI: Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio Infocomm has sought approval from the Competion Commission (CCI) for the proposed spectrum sharing deal with Anil Ambani’s Reliance Communications. The CCI website states that the deal is under review.

    Jio is waiting for an approval from the CCI for pacts entered into with Reliance Communications (RCom) and its subsidiary Reliance Telecom Ltd (RTL) for using 800 MHz spectrum, PTI reported. Jio, as is known, is the latest entrant in the highly competitive Indian telecom market.

    Jio had entered into an agreement with RCom for acquisition of right to use some spectrum in the 800 MHz band. Besides, it had, in January 2016, signed agreements with RTL and RCom providing with the option related to use of the spectrum.

    The pacts were “pursuant to the guidelines for trading of access spectrum by access service providers” issued by the Department of Telecommunications on October 12, 2015, as per the notice submitted to the CCI. According to the notice, Jio was testing its network for providing high definition voice, mobile telephone services, video, data and messaging as on the date of entering into the agreements.

  • Malaysia’s Astro ‘doesn’t know’ about talks with Reliance Digital TV

    NEW DELHI: Malaysian and ASEAN content and consumer company Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd has scotched rumours about due diligence being done to buy financially-beleaguered Indian DTH operator Reliance Digital TV saying it “does not know anything” about the talks.

    “I read about it in the newspaper,” Astro CEO Datuk Rohana Rozhan was quoted as saying by website The Edge Markets in a report datelined Kuala Lumpur. The pay TV service provider’s executive further told reporters that “as a matter of principle, we don’t comment on rumours.”

    According to the website report, pressed with questions on whether Astro was denying that it was in talks with Reliance Digital TV, Rohana was quoted as saying, “I don’t know anything about it and I am the CEO of this company.”

    Malaysia’s The Star few days earlier had carried a wire agency report of Bernama that Astro was performing a due diligence to buy into Reliance Digital TV, a business venture under Reliance Communications controlled by Anil Ambani. A Reliance spokesman had declined to comment when contacted by Bernama wire agency that sourced the news story to a report in Times of India.

    The Bernama report had gone to add that with just 2 per cent subscribers in the Indian DTH market, Reliance Digital TV faces stiff competition from bigger players and a sale deal could help RCom cut its debt. Astro has a 20 per cent stake in south Indian DTH operator Sun Direct.

    Last year the Anil Ambani-controlled Reliance Communications had entered into a definitive agreement with the Zee group companies to sell its TV broadcast comprising few channels and radio FM businesses subject to regulatory approvals. Buyer Zee presently is in the process of integrating with the group the Reliance businesses.

    Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad is a Kuala Lumpur-based content and consumer company that is recommitting towards being a technology-driven organisation in the digital, TV, radio and e-commerce space.With a customer base of 5.8 million or approximately 71 per cent penetration of total households in Malaysia, Astro serves 21 million individuals by offering a wide range of media and entertainment products spanning across television, radio, digital media and home shopping.

    Astro’s value proposition includes 188 TV channels broadcast via DTH satellite TV, IPTV and OTT platforms, of which 60 are Astro-branded and 72 are in HD. Astro also offer a non-subscription freemium service called NJOI, which offers 28 channels, of which two are in HD and 19 radio stations.

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    NDTV Lifestyle: Board decides not to purchase Astro’s 49% stake

  • NDTV Lifestyle: Board decides not to purchase Astro’s 49% stake

    MUMBAI: The NDTV board has decided not to buy 49 per cent stake held by South Asia Creative Assets Limited in NDTV Lifestyle Holdings Limited.

    The parent company of South Asia Creative Assets, Astro Malaysia, was in news recently for reportedly doing the due diligence of Anil Ambani’s Reliance Digital TV, the DTH business of the listed Reliance Communications for working out a suitable valuation, to which an RCom spokesperson denied comment.

    NDTV has now informed the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited that the Company board has approved the decision by NDTV Networks Li mited (“Networks”), a material subsidiary of the Company, not to exercise the option to purchase 49% stake held by South Asia Creative Assets Limited (“Astro”) in NDTV Lifestyle Holdings L imited (“LS Holdco”).

    The said offer was made by Astro vide transfer notice dated 2 June, 2017, pursuant to the.terms of the Subscription and Shareholders Agreement earlier entered amongst the Company, Networks, LS Holdco, N DTV Lifestyle Limited, Astro, Astro Overseas Limited and Astro Al l Asia Entertain ment Networks Limi ted.

  • Videocon d2h & Reliance Digital finding ways to wriggle out of tough situations

    MUMBAI: DTH companies in India are facing a tough time. While Videocon is making several significant moves to reduce its heavy debt, Reliance Digital TV is reportedly in talks with a Malaysian company to sell the business.

    Videocon is trying to repay its debt by selling some of its businesses such as Kenstar and merge its direct-to-home (DTH) division with Dish TV. But, if the Petrobras project takes off, it will be in a comfortable position, and could look at exiting the project at a later stage, a
    Videocon lender, who would accompany petroleum ministry’s delegation to Brazil, told the Financial Express.

    On the other hand, Astro Malaysia is reportedly doing the due diligence of Anil Ambani’s Reliance Digital TV, the DTH business of the listed Reliance Communications, for working out a suitable valuation, a source told the Times of India. An RCom spokesperson, it was reported, has denied commenting on the story.

    Videocon was recently declared a NPA by Dena Bank. The visit to Brazil was postponed to June; it will be a meeting between the governments of Brazil and India, but the bankers hope to lobby for faster resolution of the project so that Videocon’s cashflows improve.

    Airtel DTH, Dish TV and Videocon d2h have about two-thirds (65 percent) of market share of the DTH universe by private players in India. However, the DTH industry seems to be on a downward slide. Reports submitted by the carriage industry indicate that DTH subscriber additions in the extended period have been low.

    Now, if the transaction between Ambani and Astro goes through, it will be the second deal between the two. Astro shareholder T Ananda Krishnan’s Maxis Communications is a significant shareholder of Aircel, which is about to be combined with RCom’s wireless unit.

  • Zeel receives shareholder nod for Reliance Broadcast Network acquisition

    BENGALURU: Subhash Chandra’s Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zeel) has informed the bourses that it has received shareholder approval for the resolution for the Composite Scheme of Arrangement among Reliance Big Broadcasting Private Limited; and Big Magic Limited; and Azalia Broadcast Private Limited; and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited and their respective Shareholders and Creditors. At a court convened meeting held on 9 May, the company received 800,317,632 votes in favour and 1,400 votes against the resolution.

    To further strengthen its entertainment genre, last year Zeel announced acquisition of the entire television business of the Anil Ambani run Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd (RBNL) including two operational channels and four TV licences. Anil Ambani’s Reliance group also agreed to sell a 49 percent stake in its radio business to Zee group entities, marking the latter’s entry into private FM radio.

    At the time of filing of this report, Zeel shares were quoting at RS 503.15 each on the National Stock exchange, Rs 6.85 (+1.38 percent) higher than its opening price of Rs 496.30. The high/low for the day so far have been Rs 506.40/Rs 496.30.