Bharti Airtel confirmed "bilateral discussions" with Tata Group for a possible merger of their direct-to-home (DTH) segments, Bharti Telemedia and Tata Play, respectively, on Wednesday.

"We wish to submit that Bharti Airtel Limited (‘Airtel’) and TATA Group are in bilateral discussions to explore a potential transaction to achieve a combination of TATA Groups

The DTH space has been facing headwinds with the emergence of over-the-top (OTT) platforms and IPTV options, especially with the expanding price range of smart TVs.

The potential merger would combine Airtel’s DTH business, Bharti Telemedia Limited, with Tata Group’s DTH business, Tata Play Limited. The merger would create a larger and more efficient DTH company, which would be better positioned to compete in the Indian market.

Airtel has also announced its collaboration with Ericsson to roll out 5G Standalone (SA) network technology. This partnership aims to enhance Airtel's network capabilities, ensuring a seamless transition to a full-scale commercial 5G SA network over time.

This consolidation is set to benefit Airtel by expanding its broadband and entertainment business, integrating telecom, broadband, and DTH services into a unified offering

Bharti Airtel is in talks with Tata Group to merge Tata Play’s DTH business with its subsidiary, Bharti Telemedia, in a potential ₹7,000 crore deal, aiming to serve 35 million subscribers.

India's Tata Group and Bharti Group are close to merging their satellite TV businesses, creating a nearly $1.6 billion entity with the aim of tiding over the sustained migration of subscribers to digital streaming,

The confirmation, which came through an exchange filing, a day after reports said Tata Play and Airtel Digital TV were heading towards a merger

Bharti Airtel on Wednesday said it is in talks with Tata Group for potential merger of their respective DTH operations. The two players have been in discussions for the merger of Bharti Telemedia and Tata Play for some time now.

Telecom giant Bharti Airtel Ltd. announced on Wednesday that it is engaged in bilateral discussions with the Tata Group regarding a potential merger of Tata Play’s Direct-To-Home (DTH) business with its subsidiary,