(3 August 2011 7:05 pm)

MUMBAI: Airtel Digital TV, the direct-to-home (DTH) business of Bharti Airtel, has maintained its 25 per cent incremental market share, adding 0.6 million subscribers during the first quarter of the fiscal.

Airtel Digital TV's subscriber base stands at 6.26 million, according to data provided by the company till 30 June 2011.

"Airtel Digital TV has over 6.2 million customers and continues to add one out of every four new customers joining the direct-to-home (DTH) platform. We also offer high definition set top boxes and digital TV recorders with 3D capabilities delivering superior customer experience. We are the first company in India that provides real integration of all the three screens viz. TV, Mobile and Computers enabling our customers' record their favourite TV programmes through mobile and web," the company said.

Dish TV, India's largest DTH company by volume, added 0.72 million subscribers during the three months ended June 2011. It has a gross subscriber base of 11.2 million and a net base of 8.9 million, according to data provided by the company till 30 June 2011.

Meanwhile, Bharti Airtel has announced that from the other business segment (which includes Digital TV operations, Corporate Offices and new projects in India & South Asia), it has suffered Ebitda loss of Rs 2.02 billion, as compared to an Ebitda loss of Rs 2.21 billion in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal.

Total revenue from the segment saw a 90 per cent jump to Rs 3.7 billion from Rs 1.95 billion a year ago.

Commenting on the company's overall performance in the first quarter, Bharti Airtel CMD Sunil Bharti Mittal said: "Bharti Airtel's efforts in the area of cost efficiencies have helped arrest the margin decline. The new customer facing organisation in India will see more agile and responsive teams in action. This will also give a fillip to growth in value added services, broadband, digital TV and Airtel money. Overall, 2011-12 promises to be an exciting year of transformation."

During the quarter, Airtel Digital TV strengthened its interactive services portfolio with the launch of new services- iDarshan, iGoodlife and iKisaan. It also launched its 3D-ready HD Recorder.