All Entries Tagged With: "Sanjay Behl"
DTH firms in talks to share satellite transponder space
NEW DELHI: Direct -to-home television service firms are in talks to share satellite transponder space with each other that will allow them to offer more channels without large investments while also ensuring glitches in their own transponder do not affect their services. Taking a cue from an arrangement between Sun Direct and Big TV struck last year, other DTH companies are looking to replicate the telecom tower sharing model used by communication firms. While Dish TV and Tata Sky are in talks for a potential arrangement, Videocon d2h is negotiating with Airtel digital television for a similar »»»
DTH firms may miss à la carte deadline
Customers seeking greater choice over what they watch and how much they pay for it may have to wait for some more time with mostdirect-to-home (DTH) and Internet protocol TV companies set to miss a 1 January deadline for offering an à la carte option. A July 2010 order by the regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) said that all digital platforms must offer consumers the choice of paying only for channels that they wish to watch. Currently, companies offer bouquets or bundled channels priced as a package. DTH companies, which together serve around 29 million households, cite technical »»»
Price cuts on pay-per-view movie platforms draw more viewers
In September, the Salman Khan action movie Dabangg smashed the box office and collected rave reviews as well. Barely a month after its exit from multiplexes, the film is appearing on Tata Sky Ltd’s pay-per-view movie platform, Showcase, at an affordable Rs.25. And within a week of its release on Showcase, Dabangg was ordered by more than 100,000 subscribers, according to Vikram Mehra, chief marketing officer at Tata Sky. For the record, Dabangg appeared on the direct-to-home (DTH) movie platform way before its debut on television. Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd’s general entertainment channel Colors »»»
Reliance BIG TV launches live music service iConcerts HD
Reliance BIG TV (RBTV) the leading Direct- to-Home (DTH) service provider, is the first DTH operator to bring iConcerts. This will bring international live music concerts to India in standard and High Definition on its platform. This unique cross-platform brand, featuring over 1.000 premium concerts (Santana, Dire Straits, Usher, Lady Gaga and many more) is available on Reliance BIG TV’s Subscriber Video on Demand (SVoD) channels in association with Transmedia, the company which owns iConcerts and THEMA, which distributes iConcerts globally. Reliance BIG TV CEO Sanjay Behl said, “With this »»»
No plans to cut price of DTH service, say players
Despite fierce competition among direct to home (DTH) companies, consumers are unlikely to see any further reduction in prices of new connections. Reducing costs would mean incurring more costs for the DTH players, who are yet to achieve a break-even. Tata Sky recently came out with new pricing of Rs 999, under which it offers only the equipment (set-top-box). The consumer is now free to choose the content package. “It is an unconditional offer, with no strings attached,” Mr Vikram Mehra, CMO, Tata Sky said. Rivals Dish TV, Sun Direct, Airtel Digital and Reliance Big TV claimed they were already »»»
Big CBS signs distribution deal with Big TV
MUMBAI: Big CBS Networks, the television joint venture between Reliance Broadcast Network and CBS Studios International, has announced its tie up with DTH service provider Reliance Big TV (RBTV). As part of the deal, at launch, Big TV will distribute the three premium English entertainment channels christened Big CBS Prime, Big CBS Spark and Big CBS Love on its platform. The channels will be launched next month. Big Broadcasting COO Ashutosh said, “With a reach of approximately 3 million digital television homes across India and cashing in on group synergies, Big TV was one of the most desirous »»»
Viewer has the remote control
The Hindustan Times-MaRS consumer satisfaction survey on ‘India’s favourite DTH Operators’ reveals that the Indian consumer knows her mind, and direct-to-home satellite television providers will have to work extra hard to ensure that customers don’t switch loyalty to smarter rivals. While Tata Sky has topped the survey overall (scoring 839 points), followed by Bharti Airtel (833 points) and Big TV (816 points), regional variations have thrown some surprising results. Tata Sky leads in Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Lucknow and Mumbai. But it trails Bharti Airtel in Delhi, »»»
