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Tag: DAS Phase III

  • Tata Sky targets DAS Phase III areas with celebrity driven ad campaign

    Tata Sky targets DAS Phase III areas with celebrity driven ad campaign

    MUMBAI: In a bid to capture a chunk of analogue cable users in Phase III areas of Digital Addressable System (DAS), direct to home (DTH) platform Tata Sky has launched a celebrity driven ad campaign to generate awareness about digitisaton.

     

    The ‘Missed Call’ ad campaign, which features actors Kangana Ranaut and Dhanush, aims to bring on board customers who are still on analogue cable.

     

    With this campaign, Tata Sky is looking to target the 40 million households residing in 7,000 towns and cities, which will now witness the next phase of digitisation.

     

    Tata Sky CCO Malay Dikshit said, “When we asked new Tata Sky subscribers on what motivated them to come aboard our platform, they gave us some brilliant insights on why they saw great value in getting Tata Sky at home. This campaign presents these insights in simple and direct narratives delivered through rooted and relatable characters played by Kanagna and Dhanush, both fine actors. This is our initiative to drive digitisation in DAS III markets.”

     

    The series of three ad films with each actor, leaves viewers with a sense of realisation and a smile. It also highlights payment flexibility options such as daily recharge and various monthly subscription packs.

     

    The ‘Missed Call’ campaign launched in the South with Dhanush is targeting 1200 towns that have been identified under DAS III and have the least DTH penetration. Tata Sky offers a range of innovative offerings and has been expanding its bouquet of channels across regional languages.

     

    Commenting on the thought process behind the new communication, Ogilvy India ECD Sukesh Nayak said, “Tata Sky is the segment leader who is known for innovation and redefining the sector with its value propositions. The hard hitting, single take talkies are delivered by Kanagna and Dhanush, who play an average Indian consumer, who are delighted with a Tata Sky connection at home.”

     

    Ensuring its reach is extended to the hinterland, Tata Sky has launched the campaign in 11 languages namely Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Assamese, Odiya, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Bengali as well as in four dialects namely Manipuri, Bhojpuri, Marwadi and Tulu.

     

    The ‘Missed Call’ marketing campaign includes TV, print, outdoors, cinema halls and radio.

  • MSO clearances spurt as DAS Phase III deadline looms; DEN Ambey gets permanent license

    MSO clearances spurt as DAS Phase III deadline looms; DEN Ambey gets permanent license

    NEW DELHI: The panic button appears to have been pressed. With the looming end of year deadline of completion of digital addressable system (DAS) Phase III, the number of multi system operators (MSOs) has jumped to 473 as of 4 November from 429 as on 21 October.

     

    Of these, 227 – one more in the past fortnight – have 10-year licences and a total of 246 (against 203 on 21 October) have obtained provisional licences.

     

    The only new entrant in the permanent licence list, cleared yesterday, is New Delhi’s DEN Ambey Cable Networks, which will provide DAS signals in Uttar Pradesh except Agra, Lucknow, Ghaziabad, Meerut and Varanasi.

     

    Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry sources said it had still not received any formal communication of the Home Ministry’s decision to do away with security clearances for MSOs, while some had been given provisional licences pending certain formalities relating to shareholders and so on.

     

    According to the list put on the I&B Ministry’s website, Kal Cables of Chennai and Digi Cable Network of Mumbai remain on the cancellation list. On the other hand, Mumbai based Scod 18 Networking has also been refused security clearance while Bengaluru’s SR Cable TV has shut down its business.

     

    Twelve MSOs, which had earlier been granted permanent licences were permitted to change their areas of operation.

  • Siti Cable revs up DAS phase III preps

    Siti Cable revs up DAS phase III preps

    MUMBAI: SITI Cable, Zee Network enterprise’s cable expertise SITI Cable is greatly committed to the government initiative of mandatory digitization. Digitization of phase 1 & 2 towns is over and 31st  Dec 2015 is deadline for phase 3 towns.

     

    As part of its commitment to drive the digitization process, SITI Cable is constantly engaging with LCO partners across multiple states in the country and is providing all possible support to them.

     

    SITI provides its digital cable TV signal over IP based platform which is robust & scalable and ensures continuity of signals. The industry first subscriber management system, Own Your Customer (OYC) specially designed for LCO gives full control of subscribers to LCO.

     

    A SITI LCO can also choose STB from the multiple options like MPEG 2 / MPEG 4 / HD / PVR. The state of art digital Headend by SITI provides more than 300 SD & HD channels. The technology is future ready and will provide value added services like recording facility, video on demand, games etc.

     

    In select cities, SITI Cable’s digital network is broadband ready which provides revenue enhancement opportunities to its business partners. The company follows consistent business policy for all its business associates and LCOs can rest be assured of uniformity in the content price. SITI is a professionally managed organization and so the partnering LCO have access to best people, technology and support.

     

    Today SITI Cable as part of this initiative has shared it vision of digitization with the LCO

    partners in the town of Riwari & Bhiwari

     

    Speaking about the digitization in phase III & IV areas SITI Cable CEO V.D Wadhwa said, “We at SITI Cable are committed to ensure that customers have an access to quality services. The mandatory digitization is underway and this initiative will ensure a larger participation in the process by all.”

  • MIB updates areas in 7 states & 1 UT to be covered in DAS Phase III

    MIB updates areas in 7 states & 1 UT to be covered in DAS Phase III

    NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) today further updated the urban areas to be covered in seven states and one union territory during Phase III of the Digital Addressable System (DAS) to be completed by the end of this year.

     

    This is in addition to the 16 states for which upgradation was announced on 16 October.

     

    The seven states are: Andhra Pradesh; Chhattisgarh; Jammu & Kashmir; Kerala; Madhya Pradesh; Manipur and Telengana, and the Union Territory of Daman & Diu.

     

    Earlier last month, the states and union territories where changes were made were: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Rajasthan, Punjab, Tripura, Uttarakahd, Uttar Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar, and Puducherry.

     

    MIB’s updated list with regard to these states and UTs also indicates areas that have been deleted and those which have been added, apart from the number of television households to be covered in each case.

     

    The changes have been made on the basis of reports of empowered officers in each state.

     

    The list does not contain areas covered in the first two phases.

     

    The list of areas to be covered in Phase III had been issued on 30 April this year.

  • MIB updates areas in 16 states & UTs to be covered in DAS Phase III

    MIB updates areas in 16 states & UTs to be covered in DAS Phase III

    NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) today updated the urban areas to be covered in 16 states during Phase III of the Digital Addressable System (DAS), which is to be completed by the end of this year.

     

    These states and union territories are: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Rajasthan, Punjab, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar, and Puducherry.

     

    The ministry also indicated the areas that have been deleted and those which have been added, apart from the number of television households to be covered in each case. Deletions have been made on the basis of reports of empowered officers in each state.

     

    This list does not contain areas covered in the first two phases.

     

    The list of areas to be covered in Phase III had been issued on 30 April this year.

  • DAS Phase III: 372 MSOs granted registration of which 146 are provisional

    DAS Phase III: 372 MSOs granted registration of which 146 are provisional

    NEW DELHI: Clearly, the pressure of the approaching deadline for the third phase of Digital Addressable System (DAS) is beginning to show its signs in the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry, with a second list of registered multi system operators (MSOs) being issued within one month.

     

    A total of 372 MSOs were issued registration today, which included 226 who have ten-year registration and 146 who have provisional licences.

     

    With indications coming from the Home Ministry that MSOs may no longer insist on security clearance, the hope of the 146 becoming permanent have brightened.

     

    According to the list issued on 14 August, the Ministry had registered a total of 349 MSOs of which 126 were provisional.

     

    The total figure is impressive considering that 74 new MSOs have been permitted to operate since 12 July, though a majority of them have provisional licences.

     

    While a majority of MSOs including Kal Cables have had their licences cancelled following the Home Ministry denying security clearance, some have been cancelled for non-operation. These include four cancelled in 2015.

     

    Eleven MSOs who had earlier been granted permanent licences were permitted to change their areas of operation.

     

    Provisional licences given after 12 July total 66 including one for Assam and another for Mizoram. Provisional licence had been issued prior to 12 July to one MSO in Kashmir. 

  • Hinduja’s NXT Digital tots 1 million subscribers in 3 weeks

    Hinduja’s NXT Digital tots 1 million subscribers in 3 weeks

    MUMBAI: In a short span of three weeks, Hinduja Group’s headend in the sky (HITS) venture – NXT Digital has signed up as many as one million analogue TV households in phase III markets.

     

    Grant Investrade Limited managing director Tony D’silva said, “In just over three weeks since NXT Digital was announced, it has already been signed up to reach one million analogue TV households in phase III markets through LMOs and MSOs who have opted for our services.”

     

    Over the last 21 days, the HITS player has reached out to the cable fraternity across several cities. “The fraternity is extremely excited about NXT Digital,” he said. 

     

    LMOs and MSOs, according to D’silva,  see NXT Digital as a partner that will not only help them make the mandated transition from analogue to digital, but remain independent and owners of the networks they have built with sheer dint of hard work over the years.

     

    The roll-out of digital addressable systems (DAS) in phase III and IV markets across 110 million TV households is being seen as the biggest and the most significant step for the media and entertainment industry in India.

     

    A state-of-the-art broadcast facility in Noida has been designed and purpose-built to provide top quality service, which will roll out in end-August this year. While the satellite-based service will have a national footprint, in view of the deadline for DAS rollout, Grant Investrade is concentrating on the phase III and IV markets for its marketing and subscription drive to enable the cable fraternity provide digital services there.

     

    D’silva said, “NXT Digital will empower and enable the distribution fraternity including LMOs and MSOs to offer a world of exciting digital services to their end-subscribers in all the analogue households across markets. Crucially, NXT Digital will not only help the LMOs and MSOs go digital as per government mandated standards and within the set deadlines, but, throughout the process, help them be independent and retain the ownership of their network.”

  • Made-in-India STBs sale to witness 15% growth in DAS phase 4

    Made-in-India STBs sale to witness 15% growth in DAS phase 4

    NEW DELHI: With the government’s emphasis on Make in India, local manufacturing of set top boxes (STBs) that are built within the country is showing a steady increase, even as India continued to lead STB shipments for the quarter ended June 2015 accounting for about 94 per cent of the total shipments to the SAARC region (Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka).

     

    With digitisation in India and other countries in the region propelling the demand for SD STBs to HDTV and hybrid boxes, the STB market in major South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation countries is witnessing steady and robust growth.

     

    According to research from Dataxis, indigenous manufacturing had been merely five per cent in the Phase I and Phase II of Digital Addressable System (DAS). While this has seen a steady growth in the third phase, the sale of Made-in-India STBs is likely to witness growth up to 15 per cent in the fourth phase of digitization.

     

    “Local manufacturing in India, which got a shot in the arm with the Indian government’s Make-in-India initiative, is slowly picking up as indigenous brands are signing deals with MSOs in third and fourth stage. The local STB brands are opting to independent, regional MSOs than the pan-India MSOs or national players,” says Dataxis analyst Sreeja VN.

     

    STB shipments to SAARC countries have witnessed 20 per cent quarter-on-quarter growth during the second quarter of 2015. In Q2 2015, 4.38 million STBs were shipped in the SAARC region with an estimated value of $96 million.

     

    The Dataxis research also finds that the quantity of the STB shipments in India the first half of this year has declined compared to the same period a year ago. However, the total number of STBs shipped in Q2 2015 registered an increase on quarter-on-quarter basis.

     

    Technicolor tops the STB shipments to SAARC in the Q2 2015. The company’s recent deal to acquire Cisco’s STB unit could further bolster Technicolor’s presence in the SAARC STB market.

     

    Airtel Digital TV, Dish TV and Videocon d2h, the three major DTH players have announced their plans to focus on deploying indigenous brands, which will give a boost to domestic manufacturing of STBs in India. The first half of the 2015 also witnessed DTH players partnering with Indian brands to source STBs manufactured indigenously.

     

    Another notable trend, according to Dataxis Research, is the increasing demand for HD STBs in the region. Dataxis’s analysis of STB shipment for the H1 2014 and H1 2015 depicts steady growth in the volume of HD STBs shipped to India. The rise in the number of HD STBs has also contributed to a rise in the average selling price of STBs shipped in the first half of 2015 compared to the same period last year.

     

    The report says that the key STB vendors for the quarter are: Technicolor, Skyworth, Changhong, Huawei and Coship (international vendors), and Mybox, One-eIGHT technologies, Trend Electronics, Ridsys, and Willet Communications (domestic vendors). 

  • Broadcasters satisfied with inter-connect agreements negotiations with MSOs

    Broadcasters satisfied with inter-connect agreements negotiations with MSOs

    NEW DELHI: Broadcasters, who met officials in the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) have expressed satisfaction over negotiations with multi system operators (MSOs) for entering into inter-connect agreements with them.

     

    The meeting was in keeping with a commitment made by TRAI at the last meeting of the Task Force for implementation of Phase III of the Digital Addressable System (DAS).

     

    The broadcasters included Star India and TV18, who expressed satisfactory progress in their meetings with MSOs. 

     

    It is learnt that TRAI also met MSOs in this connection.

     

    This was the second meeting with broadcasters after the last Task Force meeting held on 23 June.

  • Govt. issues urban TV households’ list to be covered in DAS Phase III

    Govt. issues urban TV households’ list to be covered in DAS Phase III

    NEW DELHI: A total of 38,799,074 television households will be covered in 7,709 urban areas in 630 districts in 35 states and union territories in Phase III of Digital Addressable System (DAS) expected to be completed by the end of this year.

     

    The list is based on the Census Report of 2011 carried out for the government of India.

     

    The list mentions two other areas: Delhi and Chandigarh, where it says DAS was completed in Phase I.

     

    Tamil Nadu tops the list of urban areas with 1095, primarily because DAS was stayed in Chennai after Madras High Court orders. 

     

    Uttar Pradesh comes next with 906, followed by West Bengal with 858 and Maharashtra and Kerala with 524 and 520 districts respectively.

     

    The Ministry website gives details of each state and union territory and also lists every urban area along with TV households.