India’s traditional DTH operators are expanding beyond satellite television as connected TV (CTV), OTT aggregation and Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST) become increasingly important parts of home entertainment. Dish TV-backed Vzy has launched a live-TV streaming service, while Tata Play and Sun Direct are also reported to be exploring CTV offerings.
Vzy Brings Live TV and OTT Together
The latest move comes from Vzy, the entertainment platform backed by Dish TV. Its new Linear TV Streaming (LTS) service brings more than 200 live television channels together with access to 29-plus OTT platforms and free content.
The LTS service starts at Rs 179 and includes channels from broadcasters such as JioStar, Sony Pictures Networks India, Warner Bros Discovery India and Zee Entertainment. Vzy also plans to offer bundled live-TV and OTT packages, allowing users to access different types of content through a single platform and login.
The approach marks a change from the traditional DTH model, where the primary role was to distribute linear television channels through a satellite network.
Tata Play and Sun Direct Also Look at CTV
According to Exchange4media, Tata Play and Sun Direct are also entering the connected-TV space. The report says their CTV propositions could combine linear television, OTT services and other internet-based entertainment into a more integrated viewing experience.
Tata Play declined to comment on the development, so details about its potential CTV service, launch timeline and commercial model have not been confirmed publicly.
For DTH companies, moving into CTV provides a way to use their existing customer relationships and content-distribution expertise in an environment where television viewing is increasingly spread across satellite, broadband, apps and streaming platforms.
Broadcasters Become Important CTV Partners
Content remains central to the strategy. Vzy’s live-TV service already includes channels from several major broadcasters, giving the platform a combination of familiar linear programming and internet-based entertainment.
JioStar and Sony Pictures Networks India executives highlighted the potential of combining linear television with streaming through connected-TV platforms. For broadcasters, these partnerships create another distribution route as viewers increasingly switch between traditional television and streaming depending on the content and screen they are using.
The shift also means the relationship between DTH operators and broadcasters could increasingly extend beyond conventional channel distribution into content aggregation, audience discovery and digital viewing.
FAST Adds Another Layer
FAST services are also becoming part of the broader CTV discussion. FAST typically refers to linear-style channels delivered over the internet without a traditional subscription, with advertising supporting the service.
TRAI has already examined the regulatory framework for application-based linear television distribution, including FAST services. Its April 2026 consultation paper sought views on authorisation, service-provider obligations and the responsibilities of broadcasters and content providers on these platforms.
That regulatory discussion comes as the boundaries between DTH, OTT, FAST and CTV become less distinct. A connected television can now deliver satellite television, live streaming, OTT subscriptions and free ad-supported channels through the same screen.
DTH Moves Towards a Hybrid TV Model
The change does not necessarily mean traditional DTH services are disappearing. Instead, operators are increasingly adding internet-based services around their existing television businesses.
Dish TV’s FY2025-26 strategy reflects this shift. The company says it has expanded Watcho, integrated OTT services into hybrid packages and entered the smart-TV segment with VZY Smart TVs that combine streaming applications with live television. It has also positioned its wider VZY ecosystem around DTH, OTT, smart TVs and streaming.
The broader industry is responding to changing household viewing habits. Dish TV said the Indian pay-DTH market faced structural pressure from OTT migration, free-to-air platforms and connected-TV adoption during FY26.
CTV Could Change How Television Is Distributed
The significance of this shift is that consumers may increasingly care less about how a channel reaches the television and more about finding the content they want from a single connected interface.
For DTH operators, that creates an opportunity to move from being primarily television distributors to becoming broader entertainment aggregators. For broadcasters, CTV and FAST platforms provide additional routes to reach viewers outside traditional distribution networks.
The immediate focus is therefore on combining live television, OTT and free content rather than replacing one format with another. As more DTH companies enter CTV and broadcasters expand partnerships with internet-based platforms, the connected television is becoming a central point where traditional TV and streaming increasingly meet.
