Category: DTH Services

  • Tata Sky introduces first ever daily recharge voucher

    Tata Sky introduces first ever daily recharge voucher

    MUMBAI: In yet another first, DTH operator Tata Sky has introduced the first ever daily recharge voucher empowering subscribers to pay only for the days they watched TV. This pioneering concept allows a minimum recharge value starting at Rs 8, making it the smallest denomination of recharge voucher in the television viewing sector globally.

     

    This innovation by Tata Sky puts the subscriber in control of his/her TV viewing expenses. There are a substantial number of subscribers who pay a monthly charge, but for some reason or another are unable to view TV on a daily basis.

     

    Tata Sky’s daily recharge enables them to now choose when to pay for their TV viewing. For a large part of the population, they can economize and re-charge their set top box on days when electricity is available, or when they are back from vacation. Similarly, they can decide on days when not to recharge for example during exam days or when travelling away from home.

     

    Tata Sky MD and CEO Harit Nagpal said, “We are confident that the introduction of Tata Sky’s ‘Daily Recharge’ will gain traction across the nation. The ‘Daily Recharge’ option available at Rs 8, 10, 20, 50 and 100 enables us to put power in the consumer’s hands to choose their level of convenience. It also elevates the DTH sector by redefining the pace of digitization and reach to markets nationwide.”

     

    With the understanding that there is a demand in smaller towns and villages for bite sized consumption (much like shampoo sachets and small sized mobile recharges), the ‘Daily Recharge’ card enables Tata Sky to make inroads into these untapped markets. Moreover, with digitization phase III still a year away, this plan should help accelerate acceptance of DTH sector in India.

  • CASBAA India Forum 2015: New Era, New Opportunities

    CASBAA India Forum 2015: New Era, New Opportunities

    Mumbai: CASBAA’s annual stop in the South Asian sub-continent will bring together a host of local and international speakers at the India Forum 2015 on Monday, March 23 at Shangri-La’s Eros Hotel in New Delhi.

     

    “Reflecting India’s continued importance and influence in the Asia Pacific region, CASBAA’s annual overview of this vibrant broadcasting market attracts the very best speakers from within the country and around the world,” said CASBAA CEO Christopher Slaughter.  “As the television industry continues to evolve not only in India but across the globe, it truly feels as if we have entered into a new era of broadcasting and this forum is dedicated to the exploration of the vast opportunities now available to industry stakeholders.”

     

    “New Era, New Opportunities,” this year’s theme for the CASBAA India Forum 2015, captures the essence of television in the country. Spurred by the plan to digitize the cable television sector, the Indian TV industry has been invigorated with the promise of increased transparency, pay revenues and access to content.

     

    However, after the first two phases of digitisation, digital rollout seems to have plateaued. Has over-regulation taken the sheen off digitisation or are there other activities taking place that are not plainly evident? And, are stakeholders finally ready to iron out their differences for the greater common good?

     

     CASBAA has assembled a diverse roster of expert speakers to debate this issue along with a variety of other important topics paving the way for India’s continued growth such as audience measurement, media regulations, advertising, new technology, satellite spectrum and much more.

     

     Among the industry experts expected to attend this year are Raghav Bahl (MD, Quintillion Media), Paul Brown-Kenyon (CEO, MEASAT), Prashant Butani (Senior Analyst, NSR), Nicholas Daly (MD, Eutelsat), Partho Dasgupta (CEO, BARC), Tony D’silva (CEO & MD, Media, Hinduja Group), Vynsley Fernandes (CEO, Castle Media), Smita Jha (Leader, Entertainment and Media, PwC India), Rajiv Khattar (President – South Asia, ABS), L.V. Krishnan (CEO, TAM Media Research (India)), Deepak Mathur (SVP Commercial, Asia-Pacific and Middle East, SES), Harit Nagpal (CEO & MD, Tata Sky), Sushruta Samanta (Business Head, Asia Pacific, International Business, Zee Entertainment), Adil Zainulbhai (Chairman, Nerwork18 & Board Member, RIL) and many others. This year, corporate partners for the CASBAA India Forum 2015 include Supporting Sponsor SES and Sponsors Eutelsat, MEASAT and TMT Law Practice.

     

    For more information about the CASBAA India Forum 2015 and to register for tickets,

     

    please visit http://www.casbaa.com/events/events-calendar/details/505-casbaa-india-forum-2015.

  • Dish TV fortifies sports packaging for ICC Cricket World Cup

    Dish TV fortifies sports packaging for ICC Cricket World Cup

    MUMBAI: Cricket fans are currently glued to their television sets as the ICC Cricket World Cup kicked off this past weekend. Service providers such as Airtel Digital TV, Videocon d2h, Tata Sky, Sun Direct and Dish TV too are celebrating the onset of the event.

     

    While Tata Sky and Videocon d2h are pushing their 4K set top boxes, DTH operator Dish TV has decided to fortify its sports packaging to offer a maximum of 12 sports channels during the gala event.

     

    When asked how the DTH platform planned ahead of the World Cup, Dish TV chief operating officer Salil Kapoor says, “We conducted a pan India consumer survey, which revealed that the millennial generation has tremendous interest in sports and that HD is the preferred choice for watching sports. The research also showed an interesting angle that usually in a family its only one person who is interested in sports, the rest are still focused on GEC, movies, music etc.”

     

    Kapoor further says that keeping these insights in mind, the platform re-looked at its packaging. “First we decided to up the HD quotient and added maximum number of HD channels. We now have 39 HD channels. We even fortified our sports packaging, offering maximum sports channels (12) in India,” he informs.

     

    When quizzed about his views on a few DTH platforms focussing on the launch of 4K, which has limited content, Kapoor opines that while 4K is definitively a superior technology, the content for this technology is minimal in India. According to him the sale of DTH HD boxes is directly proportional with the sale of LCD TVs, which constitutes around 65-70 per cent in India, whereas 4K TVs are far too expensive and marginal compared to LCDs.

     

    “It will take some time for this technology to pick up in India and broadcasters to start producing content in 4K. Till then HD will dominate the content market. Understanding this, we introduced 39 HD channels, which are the highest in the country,” he says.

     

    Talking about how the repackaging will help the platform, Kapoor says that they call it a “cricket plus approach,” which highlights something for everyone to enjoy in High Definition.

     

    “The consumer has already taken notice of our enhanced services and the numbers have started ringing in. We will expand our new consumer base significantly. The marketing activities are planned to promote the HD edge that we have as a brand,” he concludes.

  • Videocon d2h rolls out India’s first 4K Ultra HD channel

    Videocon d2h rolls out India’s first 4K Ultra HD channel

    MUMBAI: Direct to home (DTH) platform Videocon d2h, the first in India to have had a preview of 4K Ultra HD DTH service in July last year, has taken a step further as it launched a 24 hour 4K Ultra HD multi genre channel on 26 January, 2015.

     

    Videocon Group director Saurabh Dhoot said that the company is bringing the path breaking technology into Indian homes using its 4K Ultra HD set top box and the channel. “We are the first in the country to provide this experience,” he said.

     

    When queried by Indiantelevision.com as to what the channel feed will contain, Videocon d2h chief executive officer Anil Khera said, “We are planning to showcase Video on Demand (VOD), lifestyle and travel content, sports, infotainment, concerts and Hollywood movies.”

     

    Khera preferred calling the channel as a 4K content pipe wherein 4K content available from international broadcasters will be telecast. “The pipe is not dedicated to any one channel. It is a pipe that also consumes a lot of bandwidth,” he added.

     

    To begin with, as part of its contract with Star India, the DTH platform will broadcast the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup matches, which will be produced with the new technology. “We are in talks with producers who are the content providers from India and abroad,” informed Khera. The channel will be uplinked from the company’s Greater Noida facility.

     

    The 4K ultra HD set top box redefines TV viewing experience delivering four times the picture resolution of Full HD. It has 27 times the normal Standard Definition (SD) picture quality. It provides a resolution of more than eight million pixels, resulting in better sharpness and clarity.

     

    The package also includes a next generation User Interface (UI) powered by technology company CISCO to easily access content. A ‘super speed’ USB allows subscribers to be future ready to play pause and rewind the live stream of 4K content.

     

    In lay man’s terms, a 4K channel is equivalent to four HD channels put side by side and two HD on top of the four, which basically makes it an image with four times the resolution of HD.

     

    When asked whether the new edge technology will be promoted through live events during the Cricket World Cup, Khera said, “We are in talks with the broadcaster, but no final decision has been taken on that as yet.”

  • Videocon d2h selects MStar HEVC SoC solution for HD zapper STB

    Videocon d2h selects MStar HEVC SoC solution for HD zapper STB

    MUMBAI: Direct to home (DTH) operator Videocon d2h has joined hands with MStar Semiconductor, wherein the latter will provide its high efficiency video codec (HEVC) H.265 system-on-chip (SoC) to the former’s HD set top boxes (STBs).

     

    MStar Semiconductor, which is a semiconductor company for TV, STB, display and digital home solutions, has successfully implemented HEVC technology in the HD solution, which fits properly to save the bandwidth requirement with high definition picture quality. The operators and STB OEMs can reduce their development costs and time to market to meet the Indian market demands with the MStar HEVC-capable set-top box SoC solution.

     

    Videocon d2h director Saurabh Dhoot said, “The HEVC technology ensures that our consumers get the most advanced and evolved TV viewing experience. Videocon d2h has taken the lead in bringing this latest technology to India and we are committed to using high end technology. Innovation has been the driving force for Videocon d2h, and the HEVC technology is perfectly positioned to further improve our bandwidth usage and enable us to add more HD channels.”

     

    “HEVC technology will greatly benefit the DTH operators in India due to the saving of bandwidth. With the coming of HEVC technology, our subscribers will experience high-efficiency Asli HD picture quality for the first time in India. This is possible through the unique video compression technology present in the HEVC capable set top boxes that is the latest in the field, and is a major improvement over the existing ones. We are committed to delivering a world class viewing experience,” added Videocon d2h CEO Anil Khera.

     

    “It is our honour and pleasure to be a partner with Videocon d2h. As high-quality programme deployment becomes more widely demanded, we anticipate increased market demand for HEVC-capable set-top-boxes which allows more effective usage of the limited bandwidth. Leveraging our HEVC-capable set-top box platform, we will continue to provide the timely HEVC solution to Videocon d2h in order to fulfill their business goal,” said MStar Semiconductor chairman Wayne Liang.

     

  • Tata Sky launches India’s first 4K set top box

    Tata Sky launches India’s first 4K set top box

    MUMBAI: Leading the innovation cycle, direct-to-home (DTH) operator Tata Sky begins the new year with the launch of India’s first 4K set top box (STB) in India. The set top box will be available for existing and new subscribers to enjoy the forthcoming cricket matches in ultra HD 4K picture clarity.

     

    Prospective subscribers can now book their Tata Sky 4K set top box at just Rs 6,400 while existing subscribers can avail the box at Rs 5,900. Subscribers can enjoy it as their first connection or an additional STB at home with the Tata Sky Multi TV connection option. Apart from relaying 4K content, the box will also showcase Standard Definition (SD) and High Definition (HD) channels. The 4K set top boxes can be pre-booked through the Tata Sky 24X7 helpline, Tata Sky website and dealers.

     

    Tata Sky 4K is a new generation set top box with the capability of delivering Ultra High Definition picture quality and Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 surround sound. 4K at 8.3 megapixels (3840×2160) has approximately four times the pixels as that of 2K (1920×1080) the current HD standard, thus brings far greater clarity and more vivid colors on screen for viewers.

     

    The launch of the Tata Sky 4K set top box has been timed just before the cricket matches. This will ensure that cricket and sports enthusiasts are well in time to own Tata Sky 4K STBs to witness the cricketing extravaganza for the first time in 4K picture quality.

     

    The launch plans were unveiled in July last year when Tata Sky showcased the first ever live FIFA World Cup quarter final match in 4K. Believing in taking innovation and customer needs to newer summits, Tata Sky has always been a step ahead of the industry, with launches such as the HD PVR (Personal Video Recorder), Video-On-Demand (VOD) service, unique interactive services, Everywhere TV, the Karaoke service and now the 4K set top box.

     

     

  • Dish TV announces rewarding partnership with JetPrivilege

    Dish TV announces rewarding partnership with JetPrivilege

    MUMBAI: Direct to home (DTH) operator Dish TV has signed up strategic alliance agreement with Jet Privilege Private Limited (JPPL) as a “Lifestyle Partner” for the JetPrivilege loyalty and rewards programme.

    Under this alliance any JPPL member can get rewarded with JPMiles in case he buys a new connection or recharge. All JetPrivilege members will get rewarded with JPMiles whenever they subscribe to a new Dish TV connection. With every recharge, a JetPrivilege member would get rewarded with 300/750 JPMiles for every high definition acquisition and 200 JPMiles for every standard definition. Additionally, the members would earn an extra 2 per cent JPMIles if they recharge their account with a minimum of Rs 500.

    Dish TV COO Salil Kapoor said, “As leaders in this category, it has been our constant endeavour to delight and reward our subscribers. We are pleased to join hands with Jet Privilege Private Limited. This is another positive step in building customer loyalty. With significant increase in TV viewership over the last couple of years, we are consistent in our efforts to make TV viewing a delightful experience for our customers.”                            

    JetPrivilege managing director Manish Dureja added, “Staying true to our promise of creating unique and enriching experiences for our JetPrivilege members, we are pleased to welcome Asia’s largest DTH operator, Dish TV as our new Lifestyle Partner. With Indian consumers getting accustomed to the exceptional TV viewing experience on DTH, the partnership with Dish TV is a logical extension of the JetPrivilege programme. By subscribing for a DISH TV connection, JetPrivilege members will now have the added advantage of accessing premium quality digital entertainment as well as getting rewarded with JPMiles.”

     

  • Dish TV leverages sports channels to push HD packs

    Dish TV leverages sports channels to push HD packs

    MUMBAI: With festive fervor just around the corner, India’s oldest DTH operator Dish TV has decided to make the most of the season. New packs have been introduced for north India with special variants for south India.

     

    A recent study done by Dish TV showed that HD was a big necessity and an increasing number of people were keen to take sports channels. “Even if multi screen viewing is on the rise, HD is going to be big. So we tweaked and introduced flexible packs. Sports is picking not just due to cricket but also events such as Asian Games, Olympics, Kabaddi and Football,” says Dish TV COO Salil Kapoor speaking to indiantelevision.com. Consumers have the choice to opt for HD packs with channels that may not be in the base SD pack.

     

    The operator has laid stress on sports in every level for SD packs. It has a total of 36 HD channels with several additions coming in after it got its additional transponder space early this year. Dish TV claims that it provides more sports content at every price point. The HD boost is also being backed by the uptake of HD TV sets during Diwali. The new packs have been introduced a month ago and Kapoor says that the growth has been ‘multifold’.

     

    While regional channels that are available in HD will be on Dish TV, its second brand Zing does not have an HD side to it. Kapoor says it would like to keep its HD audience to stay with Dish TV. The HD focus will be primarily in the metros. However, a plus point is that it provides the feature of inbuilt recorder in every HD STB, without any additional cost.

     

    The packs available are:

     

    Game on HD at Rs 125 (sports and Hindi entertainment)

    Life on HD at Rs 175 (English entertainment with sports and Hindi entertainment)

    Full on HD at Rs 200 (entertainment)

    Sports packs include:

     

    Maxi pack at Rs 275 (six sports channels)

    All sports at Rs 320 (maximum 11 sports channels)

    Platinum Sports at Rs 440 (English, Hindi, Sports, Lifestyle and Infotainment

     

    The HD channels include Ten HD, Six HD, Star Sports HD 1, Star Sports HD 2, Baby TV HD, AXN, Movies Now HD, Star Movies HD, Star World HD, WB HD, Zee Studio HD, Fox Crime, FX, Zee Café, Sony Pix HD, Life OK HD, Star Gold HD, Star Plus HD, Zee Cinema HD, Zee TV HD, Sony HD, &Pictures HD, Dish Box Office, Animal Planet HD World, Discovery HD World, NGC Wild HD, Nat Geo HD, Discovery Science, Nat Geo People HD, TLC HD World, Fox Life HD, NGC Music, M Tunes HD, Travel XP HD and ET Now.

  • Tata Sky revives Indian poetry with Javed Akhtar

    Tata Sky revives Indian poetry with Javed Akhtar

    MUMBAI: In yet another first, Tata Sky, the leading DTH player today at a literature rendezvous announced the launch of Actve Javed Akhtar service in partnership with Javed Akhtar, one of the finest lyricists of India. This innovative service gives Tata Sky subscribers an opportunity to experience the rich and classic poetic culture with an unconventional and modern approach.

     

    This interactive platform will have Javed Akhtar describing the true essence of some of the most beautifully penned shayaris and dohas of yesteryears, reminding us of its relevance and definition in context to our lives today.This conversational format with Javed Akhtar is followed by shayaris and dohas sung by contemporary artists such as Tochi Raina, Roop Kumar Rathod, Shweta Pandit, Aakriti Kakkar, Abhijit Pohankar and many more.

     

    Apart from the video format, the interactive service will also allow viewers to learn meaning of various Urdu & Sanskrit words used in the Dohas and Shayari with the help of the built-in On-demand option. Thus aiding subscribers in comprehension & enhancing vocabulary.

     

    At the launch, Vikram Mehra, Chief Commercial Officer, Tata Sky said:“Actve Javed Akhtar will enable our audience to relive and learn from the eons of classic Indian poetry with a contemporary touch. We hence associated with Javed Akhtar, who will walk us through centuries of soulful shayaris and dohas.” 

     

    Tata Sky prides in being the preferred DTH player with a list of popular interactive services as part of their offerings. Actve Javed Akhtar will be another innovative feather in the cap of Tata Sky. This interactive service is available on a monthly subscription and can be availed by a simple SMS (‘Javed’ to 56633) or missed call (076791 76791).

     

    Commenting on his association, Mr. Javed Akhtar said, “I am pleased to collaborate with Tata Sky in their endeavor to bring back the essence of our literature. This is a project which is very close to my heart as it resonates my love for the subject. The service revolves around the golden shayaris and dohas of Galib, Mir, Kabeer, Rahim and many more, which will continue to appeal to the people regardless of the constant changes that take place in today’ world.”

     

    Tata Sky has partnered with Insync (India’s first 24×7 Classical Based Music Television Channel) to collaborate with composers and 50 singers (fresh talent as well as renowned artists) to create original songs for the service, Actve Javed.

     

    A glimpse of the interactive service:

     

    Doha  – http://youtu.be/AuhUiL0TpDE

     

    Shayari – http://youtu.be/422WwmoeLAQ

  • Videocon d2h adds two new Odia channels

    Videocon d2h adds two new Odia channels

    MUMBAI: Videocon d2h, one of Asia’s promising brand and fastest growing Direct to Home (DTH) service has now added two Odia channels, Kanak TV and Zee Kalinga on its platform.

     

    The two channels are available in the basic pack ‘Super Gold’ onwards.  With addition of these two Odia channels, Videocon d2h will now offer 13 Odia channels and services.  The DTH operator offers 500 channels and services, 29 Asli “HD” channels and 240 regional channels and services.

     

    Videocon d2h’s product portfolio includes direct to mobile TV, your personal-TV app. This app can convert your mobile into a TV, and the app can be downloaded from Android Google play store. It is also the first to test and preview the 4K Ultra HD DTH capability in India and will be launching the services soon.

     

    The DTH operator also provides 24×7 round-the-clock prompt and efficient customer support in eight languages using dedicated customer care teams present in six locations.