MUMBAI: Amid a rapidly-growing subscriber base, the Kalanithi Maran-owned Sun Direct has taken a loss of around Rs 1.5 billion for the three-month period ended 31 October 2009.

For the fastest growing DTH operator in terms of subscribers, the loss in the quarter has increased from the trailing three-month period. Sun Direct had posted a loss of Rs 1.3 billion for the quarter ended 31 July.

Sun Direct’s ARPU (average revenue per user) stays almost flat at Rs 90 during the three-month period ending 31 October, the lowest in the industry.

Malaysia-based Astro has suffered “associate losses” of Rs 300.64 million from its 20 per cent holding in the DTH venture over the stated three-month period.

Astro has so far invested $122 million (Rs 5.73 billion) in Sun Direct till 31 October.

Meanwhile, Astro has subscribed to 6.28 million additional new ordinary shares (till 5 December) of Rs 10 each in Sun Direct through its wholly-owned subsidiary South Asia Entertainment Holdings Limited (“SAEHL”). The total cash consideration for this is Rs 500 million, representing a price of Rs 79.57 per share.

The holding of SAEHL in Sun Direct remains at 20 per cent.

Source: Indiantelevision.com