Nepal’s two DTH service providers DishHome and Prabhu TV have merged. Now, both internet and TV service will be served under the brand DishHome.
Both DTH also started providing fiber internet service in 2020 along with digital service. But since the merger began, Prabhu TV started service migration while DishHome has rapidly expanded its FiberNet coverage.
Read: DishHome Launches FiberNet Service in Butwal, And Bardibas
Dishhome‘s chief executive officer Sudeep Acharya had talked about continue providing TV and Internet services both under a single brand after the merger finally takes place. And as is confirmed, DishHome has retained its brand name and will continue the service under its title.
The DishHome CEO said, There are currently few paper works left but they are already migrating services. He added, “Prabhu TV has 1.25 lakh customers and 10 thousand internet subscribers. To integrate them into rebranded service, it will take up to 2 months due to lockdown.
Television customers of Prabhu TV will have an option to choose from either DishHome, IPTV, Cable, or Terrestrial TV for their households. The customers of Prabhu TV can also opt for Prabhu’s own IPTV or Terrestrial TV service.
As per Acharya, “customers will be charged as per the services they will select. If customers stay on their previous services, however, they won’t incur any costs.”
About The Two DTH Providers
DishHome is operated by Dish Media Network Ltd. It started DTH in 2010 after a merger between two DTH providers; Home TV and Dish Nepal. It began internet service last year and is currently at the trial phase.
Meanwhile, Prabhu TV is one of the enterprises by the Prabhu Group. It is the first wireless digital terrestrial TV service in Nepal based on DVB-T2 broadcasting technology. They launched the TV in a program in the capital on June 17, 2018, Sunday.
Currently Dish Home boasts more than 2 million subscribers while Prabhu TV is still growing through the ranks. A merger will prop up their market capacity and boost their growth.
Check out: Prabhu Net Rolled Out In Kathmandu With Fiber Internet
Merger To Strengthen DishHome
DishHome has retained its own brand title after the merger and it will head into the next journey on the back of a larger customer base with affordable internet solutions.
The merger has helped DishHome gain 1.50 lakhs TV subscribers under its service whereas its fiber net subscribers have grown by 10 thousand totaling 30. The CEO Acharya has asserted that DishHome will now have more capacity to cater its services at lower costs as their financial stability will improve.
Prospects of This Merger
As affluent ISPs began bundling TV solutions in their fiber net service, it pushed DTH operators to the margin. They were heading into irrelevancy in key trade centers. So it became imperative for DishHome and Prabhu TV both to integrate fiber net in their service.
However, DishHome and Prabhu TV were also facing stiff competition from dominant ISPs WorldLink and Vianet. Both provide excellent internet services with digital TV platforms and are imminent options for internet and TV solutions in Nepal.
Similarly, Nepal Telecom has also begun Triple Play service providing call, internet, and digital TV service all over a single fiber cable.
There was a risk of maintaining survival to both the DTH in absence of a broader strategy. As a result, they hatched a plan of a merger to collectively expand. Check: DishHome To Launch 200Mbps Fiber Internet Soon
DishHome To Benefit
The merger will now have a major benefit for both of the companies, especially DishHome. Not only it has accumulated a large customer base, but its financial viability will also improve. DishHome is also upping its internet game with the latest affordable packages.
First, it launched a 25Mbps fiber package exclusive to DishHoome uses for just Rs.233. But now it will stage a major ISP offer of 200Mbps affordable costs to engineer its insurgency. As ISPs are in price war currently after CG Net’s record-breaking 120Mbps, DishHome has leapfrogged other existing ISPs by creating headlines with its own internet packages and that for twice.
DishHome has drawn a higher ambition going into its next phase. It is also issuing an IPO next year to significantly boost its investments. With this merger, it’s likely that the company will not only stay relevant but also become a key player in the Nepali market for internet and digital TV solutions.
Don’t miss out: Nepal Telecom Launches Triple Play Service
Remember that earlier Prabhu TV had acquired the NetTV for their OTT solution. Its merge into Dish Home will forge a synergistic impact for Dish Home as it tries to compete in the broadband market with very cost-effective packages.
What do you think of this possible merger news? Are you a subscriber of either Dish Home or Prabhu TV? How excited are you to hear of the merger between these two? Let us know in the comments section below.
