Zee TV is already available on the same platform, though it is on the analogue system. The fight for eyeballs between the two Hindi channels in the UK is expected to intensify in the coming months.

Though Sony TV was launched in the UK, it could not make significant inroads as it was carried only by cable. Zee, which was available on the cable and the DTH platform, was a clear market leader. Said Dasgupta, "we had a limited reach in the UK as we were only on the cable. Now we can grow fast as, unlike cable, direct-to-home is big in the UK."

Dasgupta's new ground for optimism: A package of two channels -- Bollywood For You and Sony TV -- while Zee Network has only one channel. The second reason: Sonywill be digital while Zee is on the analogue system.

Sony TV has decided to charge 17.99 pounds sterling per subscriber for the two channels while Zee TV is priced at 12.99 pounds sterling. Sony charges 7.99 per subscriber on cable.

Zee TV does not agree that the launch of Sony on the DTH platform will affect the network. "Just going digital and being on the DTH platform will not give Sony any USP. Besides, the UK is not a digital market," said Ranjan Bakshi, Zee TV spokesperson.

The network, however, has plans to move from the analogue to the digital system within the next five months and launch Music Asia and Zee News to maintain its clear leadership in the UK market. While Zee TV reaches out to 1.44 lakh subscription homes, Sony has only 15,000 subscribers. "Sony is a very small player yet," said Bakshi.

Zee, in fact, claims that Sony's efforts to make inroads into the UK market through the Columbia Tristar muscle had failed. Though Sony managed to gain initially, Zee TV won back 50 per cent of itssubscribers from the four cable networks in the UK. Now Zee reaches out to 1.54 lakh homes, 90,000 of which are DTH subscribers.

Dasgupta, however, believes the DTH platform would spur Sony's growth in the UK. He also wants to stabilise in the US where Sony has 17,000 subscribers and is on the DTH platform. Sony will launch in Fiji, South Africa, Canada, Australia and New Zealand only after August, Dasgupta said.

Zee TV has 40,000 subscribers in the US and plans to increase its reach in the European market before Sony arrives. The network's focus is to change its image from a UK-based identity to an European-centric channel. But with Sony trying to gain eyeballs in the UK, Zee will take steps to consolidate its lead.