Will the rooftop umbrella (DTH) of the house now remain just a showpiece? Actually, people’s preferences have changed in the last few years which has broken the back of DTH operators, now recently it has come to light that Dish TV, one of the largest direct-to-home (DTH) service providers, has suffered a net loss of Rs 807 crore in FY26. This figure is more than the net loss of Rs 488 crore in FY25. Subscription revenues of DTH operators fell sharply as more people shifted to OTT (over-the-top) platforms for their entertainment needs. Dish TV’s subscription revenue YoY has declined by 35.6 percent to Rs 886 crore, which was Rs 1377 crore a year ago.
How many active subscribers does Dish TV have?
According to TRAI Performance Indicator report, Dish TV had 9.8 million active subscribers. The DTH operator’s EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) swung into the red with a loss of Rs 7 crore. In FY25 it was Rs 529 crore.
According to Telecom Talk, in the last quarter of FY26, i.e. March quarter, Dish TV reported a net loss of Rs 304 crore, which was Rs 402 crore in the same quarter last year. Quarterly operating revenue declined 29.3 percent YoY to Rs 243 crore from Rs 344 crore last year. Subscription revenue during the quarter declined by 47.2 percent to Rs 156 crore from Rs 296 crore in the previous quarter. The DTH operator’s business is declining sharply and there are no growth areas, which suggests that Dish TV will have to find a way to turn things around quickly, otherwise the sector could suffer huge losses.
Revenue and EBITDA are decreasing, DTH operator expenses are increasing YoY and quarter on quarter. In the March 2026 quarter, Dish TV’s total expenses increased 27.1 per cent YoY to Rs 313 crore from Rs 246 crore last year. Dish TV has said that due to increasing competition from OTT and digital platforms, there is pressure on the business. In the coming days and months, more people will shift to OTT platforms and abandon their traditional DTH subscriptions. If this happens then it is a sign that the era of ‘entertainment umbrella’ may end soon.
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