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Tag: broadband

  • OneOTT Intertainment crosses 1 mn broadband subscribers

    OneOTT Intertainment crosses 1 mn broadband subscribers

    MUMBAI: OneOTT Intertainment (OIL), the broadband subsidiary of NXTDigital (NDL), the media vertical of the global conglomerate, Hinduja Group announced that it has crossed one million wired home broadband subscribers.

    OIL achieved this milestone by adding over 200,000 subscribers in the fourth quarter of the financial year 2021-2022 recording a growth of 65 per cent as compared to the financial year 2020-2021. One Broadband claims to now be India’s fourth-largest private Internet Service Provider (ISP), extending its presence across India.

    The increased competition in this space fuelled by the demand for more online services has triggered consolidation which has benefitted larger ISPs, enabling OIL’s growth inorganically. Commenting on this milestone, OneOTT Intertainment CEO Yugal Kishore Sharma said, “The significant growth trajectory of One Broadband’s high-speed internet connectivity has been achieved by its “available-reliable-affordable” offerings.”

    “Its focussed approach towards predictable proactive customer responsiveness and care has been highly appreciated by subscribers. Internet use has moved beyond browsing and social networking to work-from-home, online Education, OTT Entertainment, e-Gaming, online-Shopping online-Health, e-Governance and others,” he added.

    “At OIL, we have adapted to this consumption surge by doubling our internet capacity on the supply side without passing any additional cost to our consumers to maintain a consistent customer experience during the pandemic,” Sharma stated.

    One Broadband, under its flagship brand, OneGigaFiber claims to offer speeds of up to 1 Gbps on its FTTH (Fibre-To-The-Home) Network.

     

  • OTT, broadband, and ARPU chase

    OTT, broadband, and ARPU chase

    Mumbai: The adoption of streaming in India has happened in stages driven by affordable handsets, cheap data, and most recently the pandemic. While the first two aspects set the stage for global streamers like Amazon Prime Video and Netflix to enter the country, the next few years saw both existing as well as new network and non-network players intensifying the scene.

    Despite Netflix’s admittedly ‘frustrated ambitions,’ India continues to be an attractive market for international OTT brands. NBC Universal’s hayu launched last December, AMC+ in March 2022, and the entry of HBO Max is on the cards. The ‘mainstreaming of streaming’ in India, however, depends in a big way on ‘Bharat’ which will power the next wave of OTT adoption through the ‘regional OTT-local ISP/wired broadband’ combine. And now is the time for it.

    What changed?

    The obvious increase in on-demand content consumption aside, what the pandemic changed at a more fundamental and universal level was that India seems to have reached the point of no return in the context of broadband adoption. Between 2016 and now, broadband has become a utility, and ‘2020’ is to be credited exactly for that.

    This also explains why despite the prepaid tariff hike in November 2021 that led to the gross loss in subscriptions, clean up of low paying, dormant users, and movement to postpaid resulted in higher ARPUs (average revenue per user) for telcos across. A look at the past 10 months of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) data shows that wired broadband has grown consistently, while mobile and fixed broadband fluctuated.

    In fact, the sharp rise of 8.24 per cent last December was reminiscent of the increased demand for wired broadband fuelled by work from home, online education, e-commerce and other digital services, as well as online video during the pandemic.  The requirement for cheaper, faster and uninterrupted data, saw wired broadband subscriptions growing by 3.42 per cent post the second wave.

    Mutual advantage

    The shifting of broadband consumption from offices to homes, mobiles to CTVs and urban to rural is bound to create more regional prospects for VoD content providers, as well as smaller ISPs and MSOs that are struggling to maintain their individual existence. The OTT opportunity has contributed significantly to ensuring that players like OneOTT and ACT that thrive on a strong tier 2-3 play in addition to the metros are counted in the league of Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea today.

    “We all know that wired broadband is more reliable in terms of speed and quality compared to wireless. But to wire, the whole country is Capex sensitive,” Microscan business head–ISP and director Playbox TV Samson Jesudas says. “The penetration of wired broadband is therefore just about 20 per cent in India. Hence we should appreciate big telcos who are investing huge amounts to wire up the whole country. At the same time, we should ensure the survival of other ISPs in the country.”

    Struggling on account of dropping ARPUs as a result of data prices going down, increased customer acquisition cost, high payback of over 12 months, as well as churn issues, ISPs are in greater need than ever to explore other value-added services as revenue options. In such a scenario, OTT can be the catalyst to promote wired broadband.

    “Today, all telcos and ISPs are bundling OTT content along with their broadband plans. Cable operators have upgraded themselves to ISPs or franchisees of ISPs. Logistically they are in best position to give quality and timely service to end subscribers,” observes Jesudas. “In fact, there has to be a major consolidation of these LCOs and ISPs by telcos and large ISPs,” Jesudas adds.

    In addition to tech and content, partnerships with ISPs are an integral part of ErosSTX’s OTT platform Eros Now’s B2B strategy.

    “Today, content makes up for over 82 per cent of internet consumption which also means more consumption of data and increased ARPUs for ISPs. In other words, ISPs have emerged as a medium for consumers to consume more data,” remarks Eros Now senior VP distribution and alliances Manpreet Bumrah. “We work together with ISPs on innovative modulation of engineered subscription plans with a win-all proposition for the entire ecosystem which includes OTT, ISPs and consumers.”

    Elaborating on the prospects for MSOs, Bumrah shares that there are over 750 million mobile internet consumers in the country today which establishes the fact that India is riding on the internet. However, only 25 million households have access to wired broadband. “With the cable connected to around 200 million houses, there is a huge opportunity for the entire digital media and entertainment ecosystem to grow at the household level,” he says. 

    According to Global Infocom Networks partner and director Harshal Dalal, local ISPs are moving ahead from being vanilla broadband service providers to becoming digital service providers today. “Along with OTT which is proving to be a major stepping stone, diversification is being carried out through other offerings such as insurance and travel & tourism,” he notes.

    Currently associated with over ten OTT platforms, the Global Infocom Networks has been providing quality and cost-effective solutions to ISPs. It aims to bring more awareness to them in terms of customising their offers and penetrating tier 2 and 3 cities in 2022.

    The promise of 100 million ‘TV Nevers’

    In a further boost to digital India, the recent budget promised great leaps in rural broadband connectivity through the government’s flagship programme – BharatNet. It aims to bring broadband to 361,000 villages across 16 states, including 1.37 lakh gram panchayats by 2025.  The new infra-sharing guidelines are also making it feasible for smaller MSO/ISPs to reach remote areas of the country. 

    Commenting on the possibility this creates, Bumrah says, “As internet bandwidth improves, the consumer experience will improve which will further accelerate the uptake of the internet in the country including by the 100 million ‘no TV households’.”

    According to the economic survey released on 31 January, 5.46 lakh km optical fiber cable (OFC) has been laid as of September 2021, a total of 1.73 lakh gram panchayats (GP) have been connected by OFC, and 1.59 lakh gram panchayats are service ready under BharatNet. Combined with the global push for affordable broadband led by the ITU, BharatNet has the potential to revolutionise the telecom sector much in the same way as Free Dish has transformed the broadcasting industry in recent years.

  • Jio Platforms, SES form JV for satellite-based broadband services in India

    Jio Platforms, SES form JV for satellite-based broadband services in India

    Mumbai: Indian digital service provider Jio Platforms Ltd (JPL) and SES, a Luxembourg-headquartered global satellite-based content connectivity solutions provider on Monday announced the formation of a joint venture – Jio Space Technology – to deliver the next generation scalable and affordable broadband services in India leveraging satellite technology. JPL and SES will own 51 per cent and 49 per cent equity stake in the joint venture, respectively. 

    “The joint venture will use multi-orbit space networks that are a combination of geostationary (GEO) and medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite constellations, capable of delivering multi-gigabit links and capacity to enterprises, mobile backhaul, and retail customers across the length and breadth of India and neighbouring regions,” said the statement.

    The joint venture will be the vehicle for providing SES’s satellite data and connectivity services in India, except for certain international aeronautical and maritime customers who may be served by SES. It will have availability of up to 100 Gbps capacity from SES and will leverage Jio’s premiere position and sales reach in India to unlock this market opportunity, the statement further said.

    As part of the investment plan, the joint venture will develop extensive gateway infrastructure in India to provide services within the country. Jio, as an anchor customer of the joint venture, has entered into a multi-year capacity purchase agreement, based on certain milestones along with gateways and equipment purchases with a total contract value of circa $100 million.

    “While we continue to expand our fibre-based connectivity and FTTH business and invest in 5G, this new joint venture with SES will further accelerate the growth of multigigabit broadband,” said Jio director Akash Ambani. “With additional coverage and capacity offered by satellite communications services, Jio will be able to connect the remotest towns and villages, enterprises, government establishments, and consumers to the new ‘Digital India’. We are excited about this new journey combining our massive reach and customer base with SES’s innovative leadership and expertise in the satellite industry.”

    The joint venture will leverage SES-12, SES’s high-throughput GEO satellite serving India and O3b mPOWER, SES’s next-generation MEO constellation to extend and complement Jio’s terrestrial network, thereby increasing access to digital services and applications. Jio will offer managed services and gateway infrastructure operations services to the joint venture.

    As Covid-19 has demonstrated, access to broadband is imperative for full participation in the new digital economy. This joint venture will be a catalyst for connecting the unconnected areas within India and the region to the full range of digital services, offering access to remote health, government services, and distance learning opportunities.

    “This joint venture with JPL is a great example of how SES can complement even the most extensive terrestrial networks to deliver high-quality connectivity, and positively affect the lives of hundreds of millions of people. We look forward to this joint venture whereby we can play a role in promoting digital inclusion in India,” stated SES CEO Steve Collar.

    The joint venture also aligns with the prime minister’s ‘Gati Shakti: National Master Plan for Multi-modal Connectivity’ initiative to provide integrated and seamless connectivity by implementing diverse infrastructure. It will also accelerate the achievement of the ‘Connect India’ goals in the 2018 National Digital Communications Policy as well as the Digital India programme by expanding broadband connectivity to Indian citizens across Indian geography.

  • Budget 2022: 5G & rural broadband BharatNet to boost overall internet connectivity

    Budget 2022: 5G & rural broadband BharatNet to boost overall internet connectivity

    Mumbai: Giving a boost to the country’s Digital India ambitions, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman while announcing the union budget 2022 on 1 February said that 5G telecom services will be introduced in India in FY2022-23. Spectrum auctions are likely to be held soon to facilitate the roll-out of 5G by private telecom companies. Design-led initiatives for 5G and other technologies will henceforth be included in the production linked incentive (PLI) scheme, added Sitharaman.

    Among other big announcements impacting telecom/internet connectivity, BharatNet broadband is expected to be ready by 2025. Contracts for laying optical fibres in all villages will be awarded under the project through public-private partnerships in 2022, 2023. “Our vision is that all villages and their residents should have the same access to e-services as urban areas,” stated Sitharaman while adding that five per cent of the annual collections Universal Service Obligation Fund will be allocated to enable affordable broadband and mobile penetration in rural and remote areas.

    The government’s flagship rural broadband connectivity program, BharatNet aims to bring broadband to 361,000 villages across 16 states, including 1.37 lakh gram panchayats. by acting as a middle-mile network allowing Internet service providers (ISPs), local cable operators, MSOs and other agencies to use its bandwidth and incremental fibre.

    According to the economic survey released on 31 January 2022, as on September 2021, 5.46 lakh km Optical Fiber Cable has been laid, a total of 1.73 lakh Gram Panchayats (GP) have been connected by Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) and 1.59 lakh Gram Panchayats are service ready on OFC under the BharatNet project. In addition, 4173 GPs have been connected over satellite media. Wi-Fi hotspots have been installed at 1.04 lakh Gram Panchayats of which services are being provided at 0.64 lakh, catering to more than 16.17 lakh subscribers with a data usage to the tune of 5670.42 TB per month

    The survey further revealed that internet penetration in the country is growing steadily with internet subscribers increasing from 302.33 million in March 2015 to 833.71 million in June 2021. While 67.2 percent of internet subscribers had narrowband connections and 32.8 percent had broadband connections in 2015, the composition had reversed by June 2021 with only 4 percent of subscribers having narrowband and 96 percent with broadband connections. As of September 2021, around 161 villages out of 354 villages have been covered with mobile service.

    Here is what the industry experts had to say:

    Elara Capital’s Karan Taurani noted, “Push towards affordable and high speed fixed broadband internet will boost digital content consumption and smart TV penetration into rural and smaller towns. It will also lead to shifting of eyeballs from TV to digital at a much rapid pace in smaller towns too, just like it has happened in metros.”  This will help enable strong user and consumption growth for the B2C-led internet and new-age companies, which in turn will lead to a rapid shift from traditional to digital. According to him, this could have a positive impact on overall advertising, as internet companies now account for a sizable share of ad spends in India.

    However, Taurani rued the absence of initiatives to protect the interests of traditional media despite the negative impact of Covid. “There was no relaxation on the license fees or royalty for radio industry, no financial grant or tax benefit for the traditional media which has seen a sharp decline over last two years and still struggles to get back to pre Covid levels, and no reduction in GST for cinema ticket prices, despite cinema being one of the most impacted medium during the pandemic,” he said.

    Welcoming the push for internet connectivity, Logicserve Digital founder and CEO Prasad Shejale said, 5G spectrum auctions will finally make the dream of a tech-savvy India a reality, further boosting the country’s digital infrastructure. Additionally, the launch of a design-led manufacturing scheme for the 5G ecosystem as part of the PLI scheme will ensure affordable broadband and mobile communication even in far-flung areas. The availability of high-speed internet connectivity in urban as well as rural areas will encourage marketers to experiment with blockchain, AR, VR. The overall budget is future tech-enabled and balanced.”

    “Media consumption is in for a disruption like never before. 5G is going to change the way digital functions and is going to just accelerate the metaverse and Web3 adoption,” added White Rivers Media CEO and co-founder Shrenik Gandhi.

    Specialised task force for AVGC

    The M&E industry will also benefit from setting up a specialised task force for the promotion of Animation, visual effects, gaming and comics (AVGC) industry, as well as the expansion of the ‘One class, one TV channel’ program of PM eVIDYA from 12 to 200 TV channels proposed under the budget.

    Zeel MD and CEO Punit Goenka said, “The holistic focus on broad-based economic recovery in the Union Budget, with a huge emphasis on job creation and digital ecosystem of the country, is positive for India Inc. at large. The steps announced to build domestic capacity for the Animation, Visual-Effects, Gaming, and Comics segment will certainly help enhance capabilities, enabling the Country to compete more effectively at a global stage. An extension in the credit line guarantee scheme is also a welcome move, which will provide some much-needed relief to the relevant sectors which were impacted due to the pandemic.”

    According to vernacular audio platform Khabri’s co-founder and CEO Pulkit Sharma, regional languages will be empowered through the program, which enables all states to provide supplementary education in regional languages for classes 1 to 12. “These digital initiatives will provide for a more conducive environment for the adoption of tech-based learning and which will directly route to empowering youth from real Bharat,” he said.

  • AT&T rolls out fastest consumer broadband at 2-gig, 5-gig speeds

    AT&T rolls out fastest consumer broadband at 2-gig, 5-gig speeds

    Mumbai: Telecommunication giant AT&T has rolled out the fastest consumer broadband services at new multi-gig speeds of 2-gig and 5-gig for its fiber customers across parts of the network’s footprint.

    Starting 24 January, AT&T’s nearly 5.2 million customer locations in parts of more than 70 metro areas, such as LA, Atlanta and Dallas, will be able to take advantage of symmetrical 2-gig and 5-gig speed tiers with “new, simple and straightforward pricing,” said the statement.

    The company will continue bringing multi-gig-capable technology across its current fiber footprint throughout 2022 and as part of its future expansion efforts to cover 30 million customer locations by year-end 2025. It has claimed to have achieved up to 10-gig speeds in its labs.

    “As we set out to become America’s best connectivity provider, we’re doubling down on fiber in our broadband infrastructure,” stated AT&T Communications CEO Jeff McElfresh. “With true multi-gig speeds, and symmetrical upload and download, AT&T Fiber will redefine how we experience the internet and drive innovation, from education, to work, to entertainment.”

    According to a recent survey by AT&T commissioned with Recon Analytics, six in 10 consumers purchased a new connected device in the last year. The average consumer has 13 connected devices in their home and that is expected to multiply. In addition – half of all workers now have the option to work remotely long term – which means video conferencing for hours is here to stay. Consumers and small businesses are consuming more data than ever, and the trend is expected to continue to see data consumption increase from megabytes to terabytes.

    Multi-gig speeds are primed for these growing demands and will provide more bandwidth for households and small businesses to run a multitude of connected devices at once. Similar to freeways with several high-speed lanes, multi-gig speeds open those lanes for various connected devices to run at their fastest possible speed.

    The architectural nature of fiber designed specifically to provide high-speed internet (as compared to cable which was designed to provide TV content to households), allows high-capacity tasks, such as uploading large documents during video calls and gaming, to flow seamlessly, even during high-usage times.

    “The pandemic has significantly changed how consumers and businesses use the internet and what is required from a broadband provider. Faster is better – but reliability is best. And AT&T has shown it has both with AT&T Fiber,” said Recon Analytics founder and lead analyst Roger Entner.  

  • Important to have a product portfolio that can stand the next decade of digital growth: NxtDigital CEO

    Important to have a product portfolio that can stand the next decade of digital growth: NxtDigital CEO

    Mumbai: NxtDigital has upskilled 30-35 per cent of its workforce in digital technology, in addition to making a complete shift to the pre-paid model through enabling digital payment mechanisms, said MD and CEO Vynsley Fernandes as he talked about the company’s transformation from a cable company into a digital platforms company.

    Fernandes was in a fireside chat with Indiantelevision.com group founder CEO and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari at the 18th edition of Video & Broadband Summit (VBS 2022) organised by Indiantelevision.com on Wednesday.

    Pandemic as the trigger point

    The digital metamorphosis of NxtDigital, as well as the ecosystem as a whole, started a couple of years back in 2019 when the new tariff regime (NTO) was introduced, but it was the pandemic that actually gave impetus to it. “One of the biggest learnings from the pandemic was that digital aspirations are not limited to the city dweller. The tier 2, 3, and 4 towns, even though poorly connected to both TV and broadband, are equally aspirational. At least 60 per cent of our base comes from the semi-urban, semi-rural and rural markets, and yet there’s still significant growth that has to be achieved,” said Fernandes.

    Realising the importance of supporting these markets, the company set up digital Nxthubs at locations across India to deliver digital TV with up to 650 channels, broadband, and OTT.

    Also read : NxtDigital launches 40 NxtHubs across India

    The pandemic also forced the traditional distribution platforms that were facing challenges due to changing consumer preferences, to look at new strategies for growth, and new technology for fresh, and innovative products. This, combined with the realisation that customers increasingly want a single window to manage their multiple products and solutions, led NxtDigital to launch three new offerings including an advanced android set-top box, TV stick, and a combo product providing access to around 700 TV channels, OTT content (including regional) and broadband with speeds up to 1000 Mbps. The company had also introduced a work-from-home bundle during the pandemic.

    “We have been extremely cognisant of the fact that times are changing, and we need to be at the forefront to be able to harness technology to deliver the best experience to customers,” said Fernandes.

    Also read : Nxtdigital launches ‘live’ TV stick and Android STB

    Working with broadcasters and LMO/digital service partners

    Transformation is never an easy process. Like any other change that is met with resistance in the beginning, it took some effort for NxtDigital to convince and train its digital service partners, also the Last Mile Owners (LMOs), to support the implementation of the fully digital payments enabled, pre-paid model.

    And the results have been quite positive. “While individual verticals may have seen some softening, the absolute growth in terms of revenue for the LMOs saw an uptick because of the increased ticket size allowed by the combo product (Broadband + OTT+ Digital TV). Our partners are now, in fact, excited to know about the next digital service they can offer customers,” shared Fernandes.

    As far as broadcaster partners are concerned, he added that even though they have largely been supportive, there’s the need at the top of the pyramid for more patience and the understanding that the industry is still in a state of flux. It will take some time for the metrics to be worked out, and for the results to start manifesting as significant gains. 

    “Though we can’t yet call it significant, there has been steady growth in the business quarter-on-quarter, and this not necessarily from just the video business, but also broadband and OTT. The overall pie has definitely grown, and the stakes are only getting better from here as long as collaborations and innovation come into play,” asserted Fernandes. 

    Also read: I&B ministry lays down guidelines for infrastructure sharing by MSOs

    Appreciating the government’s new guidelines for infrastructure sharing, he remarked, “A DPO can no longer say that it cannot service a client/region because of the high cost of connectivity. As we see a lot more infra sharing happening, broadcasters will also be a beneficiary to that growth.”

    Word of Caution

    As a word of caution, Fernandes pointed out four themes that players need to align themselves with to thrive in the digital future.

    Commenting on the fate of cable and broadband he noted, “Cable will continue to grow, more so with I&B Ministry’s infrastructure sharing guidelines for MSOs announced last December.  However, there will be significant growth in broadband. This has also been indicated by Trai’s recommendation on AGR (adjusted gross revenue) that will encourage cable operators to provide broadband services. The one thing that’s clear is that the government is looking at facilitating the growth of the industry.”

    Fernandes’ third observation was that broadband over satellite and regionalised OTT will start to make inroads over the next couple of years. Lastly, the characteristics of the business will impact single product companies. In the ‘and’ world that awaits, cable or broadband or OTT alone will find it difficult to survive. The future will belong to those who are able to leverage technology to combine them externally and internally into a robust product.

    Fernandes believes that NxtDigital’s product portfolio comprising broadband, HITS, digital cable television, content syndication, and teleshopping will stand the company in good stead. He surmised by saying that “It is necessary to have a product portfolio that can stand the next decade of digital growth.”

    The day-long virtual summit held on 19 January was co-powered by broadpeak. Disney Star was the presenting partner, while NxtDigital was the summit partner.

  • After edtech & fintech, now is time for media-tech: Anuj Gandhi at VBS 2022

    After edtech & fintech, now is time for media-tech: Anuj Gandhi at VBS 2022

    Mumbai: After the edtech and fintech, it’s time for India to now witness the rise of media-tech, said M&E consultant and industry veteran Anuj Gandhi while decoding the post-pandemic future of the industry at the 18th edition of the Video & Broadband Summit 2022 (VBS) organised by Indiantelevision.com on Wednesday.

    The day-long virtual summit was co-powered by broadpeak, with Disney Star as the presenting partner, and NxtDigital as the summit partner.

    In a fireside chat with Indiantelevision.com founder CEO and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari, the media distribution veteran discussed the six major trends which, according to him, will determine the course of the media and entertainment industry over the next couple of years.

    Video Trends: Unlike the days of DD and bundled offerings, the modern consumer wants more freedom to choose. With the burgeoning delivery platforms, it’s no longer that case where everyone has to be on PayTV. Moreover, in the present scenario where people are spending hours on social media, even Instagram Reels are ‘content’. Clearly, going forward, the definition of video, as well as trends in the space, will depend on the demand-supply equation. The rise of Free Dish and OTTs during the pandemic is a classic example, and even as their growth accelerates, PayTV will also continue to exist in some form or the other.

    Broadband Growth: Broadband has evolved into becoming a utility today; it is no longer limited to video. Considering the amount of consumption that’s happening over work-from-home, education, and other services, video is just a small fraction of it. The Trai’s figure for wired broadband that was stagnant at around 10-12 mn for many years, suddenly shot up to 25 mn, and this does not even include the huge undeclared market run by cable companies. The hybrid ecosystem fostered by the pandemic will continue to push this number further in the coming days.

    The fate of linear TV: It is a cause for worry and excitement at the same time. Both in India and globally there’s no denying the trend of people consuming less pay/linear TV as a result of the availability of alternatives as well as the failure of linear TV to innovate in terms of content. The Free Dish market has largely been insulated so far, but it will also experience disruption in the near future as broadband penetration in the hinterland grows.

    B2C focus and consolidation: The changes that were effected and necessitated by the growth in digital, especially in the last decade or so, have shifted the focus of the entire M&E industry from B2B to B2C. As the ecosystem opens up more and more to consumers directly, the need for consolidation will also increase, whether it is to meet the entertainment demands of viewers or to simplify content discovery for them.

    Rise of FAST: The popularity of Free Ad-Supported TV (FAST) services in the US and Europe, clearly shows that the west is moving towards AVOD. In the case of Asian markets including India, even though SVOD is picking up, the growth of Free Dish, YouTube, and OTT players like MX, is a strong indication of the potential for FAST.

    Crumbling walls: Changes in windowing norms that existed thus far will have a far-reaching impact on pricing, quality, and consumption of content as well as the actual segmentation of consumers in a multi-screen environment.

    The former group CEO of IndiaCast Media Distribution, who was also instrumental in setting up IndiaCast in March 2012 said he is hopeful about a future where all forms of video delivery – Free Dish, PayTV, VOD -will coexist. However, considering the current regulatory environment, competition, and the pace at which viewers are evolving, he recommended that the industry players must adopt an approach that gives more freedom and power to consumers rather than trying to resist the inevitable change in order to survive in the long run.

  • VBS 2022: Getting ready for the post-pandemic world

    VBS 2022: Getting ready for the post-pandemic world

    Mumbai: Indiantelevision.com is back with the 18th edition of the Video & Broadband Summit (VBS). The day-long summit will be held virtually on 19 January 2022, from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm. VBS 2022 is co-powered by broadpeak. Disney Star is presenting partner and NxtDigital is the summit partner.

    This year’s Video & Broadband Summit will provide a platform for industry and opinion leaders to discuss key issues being faced by the television industry as a result of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai)’s New Tariff Order 2.0, broadband-fuelled growth of digital platforms, and the impact of cord-cutting on DPOs, as well as the possible ramifications of the impending 5G launch that has already created a stir among broadcasters and distributors.

    Some of the broad themes to be covered include Rising Cost of Video Entertainment, Changing Business Models and Revenue Models, Value-Added Services, and getting back to basics in a Post-Pandemic World. VBS 2022 will also delve into the concerns and opportunities around the 5G Teleco Threat, Virtual MVPDs, Cable TV’s Technology, and Back-End Challenges, DPO’s Marketing Drive, and the gradual expansion of Over the Top (OTT) Platforms.

    The summit will begin with an introduction by Indiantelevision.com Group founder CEO and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari, followed by a presentation on the rising cost of video entertainment.

    First on the agenda is a fireside chat with M&E consultant Anuj Gandhi. During the next session moderated by former senior VP Star TV and CEO KCCL Shaji Mathews, Fastway’s Prem Ojha, Travelxp’s Prashant Chothani, Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings’ Rajdeepsinh Gohil, Shemaroo Entertainment’s Sandeep Gupta, BBC Global News’ Sunil Joshi, and Zeel’s Anil Malhotra will share their thought on ‘Getting Back to Basics and to a Post Pandemic World’.

    Lined up next is another fireside chat between NxtDigital MD and CEO Vynsley Fernandes and Anil Wanvari. Thereafter Gurjeev Singh Kapoor (Star & Disney India), Vynsley Fernandes, Amit Arora (Indiacast Media Distribution), Sambasivan G (Tata Sky), Ashish Pherwani (E&Y), and SN Sharma (DEN Networks) will delve on ‘Shaping the growth of linear TV distribution and subscription’.  

    In the post-lunch session, a panel consisting of MN Vyas (founder-director PlanetCast), Abhishek Gupta  (vice president IT, Dish TV), Yann Begassat (business development director, Broadpeak), and Salil Thomas (general manager & head ACV & Technology,  Asianet Satellite Communications Ltd) will demystify ‘The 5G Opportunity’ for the viewers. The talk will be moderated by Satcom Industry Association – India, senior director technology and policy Rajeev Gambhir.

    Following a fireside chat with Jio Platform’s Saurabh Sancheti, the event will wrap up with a discussion on ‘Delighting the Indian Consumer – Challenges & Opportunities’ between Rajib Mukherji (EVP-Strategy, IndiaCast Media Distribution Pvt Ltd.), Nagesh Chhabria (promoter, Metrocast), Rouse Koshy (chief operating officer, NXTDigital) and Yatin Gupta (senior VP, GTPL).

    The Video & Broadband Summit (VBS) 2022 will be live-streamed on Indiantelevision.com’s social media handles.

    For more details: https://www.videoandbroadbandsummit.com/ 

  • There needs to be a level playing field: Tata Sky CEO Harit Nagpal on Free Dish issue

    There needs to be a level playing field: Tata Sky CEO Harit Nagpal on Free Dish issue

    Mumbai: Harit Nagpal, the MD and CEO of India’s largest Pay TV distributor – Tata Sky is known to be a vocal man. Time and again, he has used several platforms and occasions to bring the industry’s concerns to the notice of the government and regulators. Outlining these issues once again at the APOS India Summit – the two day virtual-event that concluded recently, Nagpal stressed upon the need to iron out disparities in regulation that exist in the current ecosystem.

    With the rapid emergence of multiple distribution formats and technologies in the past few years, he strongly believes that the “time has come for everyone to step back and take a look at the regulatory inconsistencies and biases prevailing across platforms.”

    Between the three main distribution technologies of DTH, Cable and OTT, “while both DTH and cable are licensed, regulated and censored (self), DTH pays a license fee while Cable doesn’t. OTTs, on the other hand, are neither licensed, nor regulated or censored, and they don’t even pay a license fee. Just because they came in at different points in time, different rules are applied to each one of them,” said Nagpal.

    In September, Tata Sky and Airtel Digital TV had written to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) asking the telecom regulator to address the issue of broadcasters making their pay channels available for free on DD Free Dish.

    Also Read: https://www.indiantelevision.com/dth/dth-operator/dth-operators-write-to-trai-over-broadcasters-offering-pay-channels-on-dd-free-dish-210909

    At the summit, Nagpal reiterated that while he appreciates Free Dish as a great channel of customer acquisition, there has to be a level playing field.  “There are roughly 100 million homes in India that don’t have a TV. They will not invest in a TV set and subscription simultaneously. Hence, at any given point in time there is a large pool that owns a TV but is not paying for subscription services. A subset of this population moves into the Pay TV universe every year, opening up a huge customer acquisition opportunity for us,” he explained, adding that “the problem begins when Free Dish starts serving them at no cost, the same content that we offer for a price.”

    According to Nagpal, this is an unfair practice on the part of certain broadcasters. It goes against the current tariff regime which mandates designating of channels as either pay or FTA. “This designation should be consistent across platforms,” he insisted. “A customer in rural areas does not understand regulations, and he starts distrusting us.”

    Commenting on the overall growth this year, Nagpal said, “We are north of 17 million homes; much in the same range as what we lost to FTA and economic losses faced by rural India. We have managed to keep our heads above water.”

    Despite the many challenges, he believes that pay TV delivered via cable or satellite cannot be written off in India so quickly. “OTT requires high quality broadband getting into homes, in which case the customer has to pay for both content as well as the pipe. In the case of cable and satellite they pay for the content only. So, when we talk of the masses, Pay TV is here to stay. Out of the 100 million homes without a TV some will keep getting them every year, and those numbers are far larger than the growth of paid OTT. Pay TV and FTA will also coexist and grow.”

    Even though DTH may not be facing an existential threat from either Free Dish/FTA or OTTs, its content that has historically been ‘mass’, will have to evolve, asserted Nagpal. “The masses also want innovation which is why there are nine million HD homes today, and many with HD are now looking for something new. Innovation has, therefore, constantly been on our radar. With regard to content as well, there is a very large number of discerning viewers among those who do not have access to the pipe. They are not happy with the ‘saas-bahu’ or the content of the past. There is a niche which is likely to grow, for which content needs to be invested in by broadcasters.”

    In fact, trends show that customers are not going off Pay TV even when they can afford or avail streaming services. Sharing his observations, the Tata Sky Nagpal stated, “The premium end of our user base did not switch off their Pay TV regardless of having access to VOD services. Binge Plus was an attempt to cater to this set of audiences. Whether a consumer wants to watch OTT or Linear on phone, tablet or the TV set, my job is simply to make it convenient for them.”

    In this space again, he welcomes the advent of aggregators like Prime Channels and Google TV to grow the market and industry together.

    Concluding the discussion with his thoughts on Tata Sky and the overall broadband market, Nagpal shared, “Broadband was never intended for the mass market because we didn’t have a network of fibre in the ground across the country. Our intention is only to reach our premium customers, and hence, it will remain a niche, very high-quality broadband play for us.”

    As for satellite, he averred, “In my understanding broadband is not reaching rural areas not because it is difficult to lay a wire to that place, but the fact that it will be difficult to find enough people in a village who can pay Rs 800 per month, month-on-month. Unless it can be delivered at the rate of Rs 200-300 per month, the economics of which is unviable, it looks unlikely. But we may be surprised in the future.”

  • GTPL Hathway records standalone net profit of Rs 30.5 cr in Q1 FY22

    GTPL Hathway records standalone net profit of Rs 30.5 cr in Q1 FY22

    New Delhi: Cable TV and broadband service provider GTPL Hathway Limited (GTPL) has clocked a standalone net profit of Rs 30.5 crore for the quarter ended 30 June.

    The net sales reached Rs 391.5 crore, improving from Rs 347.6 crore recorded in the same quarter last year. The consolidated net profit for the quarter stood at Rs 53 crore, up from Rs 46.4 crore in the corresponding quarter a year ago, while the consolidated revenues stood at Rs 602 crore. The overall revenues improved on the back of improvement in the EBITDA (including EPC) levels at Rs 138 crore, which was seven per cent higher year-on-year. The Q1 FY22 PAT stood at Rs 47.5 crore, up 16 per cent y-o-y.

    The company also reduced its debt burden by Rs 16.8 crore during the quarter. The finance cost was down 78 per cent y-o-y.

    GTPL added 55,000 net broadband subscribers in Q1 FY22 and the broadband revenue crossed Rs 91. 8 crore, up by 74 per cent YoY. The total number of subscribers as on 30 June were 6. 90 lakh of which 2.50 lakh are FTTX subscribers.

    Meanwhile, the company continues to widen its footprint in its existing markets and penetrate into new markets through inorganic routes. As on Q1 FY22, paying subscribers stood at 0.73 crore.

    GTPL Hathway, managing director, Anirudhsinh Jadeja said, “GTPL Hathway continued to deliver on key KPIs during Q1 FY22. The highlight of the quarter was robust subscriber additions & subscription revenues for Broadband business, strong profitability and debt repayment. GTPL has further reduced its debt by Rs 16.8 crore in Q1 FY22.”

    Jadeja said GTPL will continue to march forward on its stated strategic roadmap by coming up with interesting new products and services, enhancing customer experience, strengthening its digital infrastructure capabilities, and accelerating its footprint in the existing and new markets.