HASSAN AL BANNA

PGPRM -14

REPORT ON D2H – TATA SKY

DTH (Direct To Home) is the transmission mode by which satellite TV programming
can be received at home. Currently there are six main DTH providers in India, namely
Dish TV, TataSky, Big TV, Airtel Digital, Sun Direct and Videocon D2H.

Direct To Home (DTH) is the primary alternative if you don’t want to depend on local
cable operators. We frequently face Cable TV outages and breakdowns and in most cases
the service is not dependable. Since DTH signals come directly from the broadcast
satellite to the consumer’s dish, it can even reach remote places without any cable
running through the streets and highways. With the widespread implementation of
Conditional Access System (CAS) throughout India, DTH is a good alternative.

Having many service providers makes it difficult to choose from. To select a DTH
provider, we have to consider various factors such as picture quality, transmission during
rough weather, suitability of the plans / packages, package pricing, and other value added
services. The DTH service quality depends on the signal strength, so it is always better to
check for excellent reception in your area.

DTH services offer MPEG4 quality or DVD quality or MPEG4 with DVB-S2 digital
transmission. MPEG4 with DVB-S2 (Digital Video Broadcasting) has provision for
HD quality, but not implemented yet. It also allows for enhanced interactive services with
access to the Internet. Airtel and Videocon offer MPEG4 with DVB-S2.

Almost each DTH provider has special packs for the southern region that has packs
specifically designed to include regional language channels. Many providers provide a
Jumbo package or Mega Package or Titanium package, which includes all channels for
an amount. On an average, the monthly charges for such a mega pack comes to about Rs
300 to Rs 350, which many include a few value added services and pay per view channel.

If you don’t want all channels, you can make a list of the channels you want, and go
ahead with the service or package that gives you most of them for the least amount.
Getting the desired combination of channels is more important than the number of
channels in a pack.
 DTH provides Movie On Demand, in which there will be specific channels
where movies play at scheduled start times. These can be accessed through the service
interface or DTH website or SMS. Check for the availability of the latest movies in Pay
Per View (Movie n Demand) when making a decision.

All providers, except Sun Direct, provide Interactive services to interact with the TV.

Some DTH providers such as Dish TV source content from online sources like
matrimonial or job services. Others like Airtel allow you to set up widgets that give
information and news snippets, weather, stock updates, breaking news on the press of a
button without moving from the main screen.

TataSky is the most popular DTH Service. TataSky provides 24×7 customer support in
11 Indian languages. Packages are expensive than others. TataSky provide the maximum
number of interactive services.

Airtel Digital also provides a lot of innovative interactive services. Airtel provides some
exclusive features such as a Univeral remote. The iNet feature provides customer with
latest news, stocks from your portfolio, Bollywood gossip and the latest weather with
widgets. Airtel Digital has partnered with NDTV for News widget and CNBC for stocks.

Dish TV who was awarded India’s first DTH license in 2003 and began operations in
2004. With Dish TV you can access content from Shaadi.com and search for potential
partners through the Shaadi Active service. The content is not live but is updated every
week. Similarly you can access content from monster.com and ICICI Bank.

BIG TV provides better picture quality using the MPEG4 technology. BIG provides
better pay-perview movies options. They provide better package pricing.

Sun Direct has a strong presence in South India, with their south centric plans. Sun
Direct packages are regions and languages specific, allowing you to select channels of
your preferred lanugages.

Videocon D2H combined its electronics and consumer goods background to bundle LCD
TVs and DVD players with in built DTH receivers, including a DVD players that have in
built DTH receiver. it provides a 12 picture in picture mosaic to browse channels. It also
has tickers for stock, cricket and news updates that form an overlay over the
programming being viewed. Videocon d2h also has packs for every region.
DTH TV Feature Comparison

Airtel Sun Videocon

Tata Sky Dish TV BIG TV
Digital Direct d2h

Quality-
DVD DVD Yes Yes Yes Yes
MPEG4

DVB -S2 No No No Yes No Yes

Interactive Actve Active

Gaming iStock iNet NA
Service Topper Darshan

Actve Active
News Active iCricket iLearn
Learning Cooking

Actve Bhakti Active

iAstro iNews
Stories Active Travel

Actve Astro Active icooking iMatinee Active

Mall Health
&Fitness
 Airtel Sun Videocon
Tata Sky Dish TV BIG TV
Digital Direct d2h

Actve
ICICI Active iCare iTravel
English

Actve Sports
iGame iAstro
Wizkids Active

Actve Multilingual
iNews iSports
Games Service

Actve Shaadi
Darshan Active

Actve
Jobs Active
Cooking

Actve Travel
Astrology Active

Package Model Base Base Pack + Base Base Base BasePack

pack+Add Alacarte Package+Add Package Pack + + Add on
on on + Adding Add on +
Pack + Packs + next Alacarte
Few regional Packs Package
alacarte or
 Airtel Sun Videocon
Tata Sky Dish TV BIG TV
Digital Direct d2h

Topups

Movies on
Coming
Demand 7 6 21 6 4
soon
Channels

4 lists with
Favorite 1 with 20 8 with 8 with 4 with 15 20
No
Channels list channel Unlimited Unlimited channel channels
each

Naming
No No Yes Yes No Yes
Favourites

Top 10 list No No Yes No No No

Parental
control with No No Yes Yes No No
rating

2
Language for Language
Single Single Single Single Single
interface out of 9
available
 Airtel Sun Videocon
Tata Sky Dish TV BIG TV
Digital Direct d2h

Customizable
No No No No No Yes
hud

Ticker/Widgets No No No Yes No Yes

DTH TV Price in India

COST PER
DTH PACKAGE NO OF CHANNELS
MONTH

Dish TV Titanium pack 193 332.5

Child pack 190 165

Shine Pack+1 free top

Platinum 312
up190

Gold 165 210

Silver 145 125

South platinum 190 312

 COST PER
DTH PACKAGE NO OF CHANNELS
MONTH

South Gold 155 190

South Silver 145 125

Gold pack 125 150

D2h

Diamond pack 165 275

Super value 110 127

New value 118 160

Airtel Economy 155 221

Mega 177 304

Ultra 184 364

BIG TV Value pack 81 90+ Taxes

Bronze pack 111 135+ Taxes

 COST PER
DTH PACKAGE NO OF CHANNELS
MONTH

Silver pack 123 180+Taxes

Gold pack 138 225+Taxes

Diamond pack 152 270+Taxes

Platinum pack 156 315+Taxes

Super Hit pack 63 160

Super Value pack 103 200

TATA SKY

Super Value Kids pack 104 225

Super Saver pack 124 275

Shine Pack+1free top

130 120
SUN up

DIRECT

North Jumbo pack 30 300

With so many DTH services available in India, its very important to find a head on DTH
Comparison of services provided. Following is a simple DTH comparison of basic
channel packs offered by 4 main players in Indian DTH sector. Sun DTH VS Tata Sky,
Sun DTH VS Big TV, Sun DTH VS Dish TV, Tata Sky VS Big TV, Tata Sky VS
Dish TV, Big TV VS Dish TV

I have not compared regional channels offered in basic packs.

Sun DTH Tata Sky Dish TV Big TV

99+tax/Month 125 /month 100+tax/month 115+tax/month

Hindi Ent. Hindi Ent. Hindi Ent. Hindi Ent.

9x SAB 9x SAB
Zee TV Star One Zee TV Star One
Star Plus Star Plus NDTV Imagine Star Plus
Real TV Star Utsav Zee Smile Sahara One
NDTV Imagine SONY Zee Cafe’ Star Utsav
Star Utsav SONY
Zee Smile
Sony
Bindaas

Music Music Music Music

9x Music 9x Music Zee Music Music India
Music India MH1 MH1
B4U Music
ETC
MH1
E24

English English English English

Fashion TV Fashion TV Fashion TV Fashion TV
Fox Zee Trend
World Movies
Warnier Brothers
Fox Crime

Hindi Movies Hindi Movies Hindi Movies Hindi Movies

UTV Movies Set Max Zee Cinema Set Max
Bindass Movies Star Gold Star Gold

Children Children Children Children

 Hungama Hungama Disney Channel
Baby TV Disney Channel

News News News News

Start News Start News Aaj Tak Aaj Tak
NDTV India NDTV India NDTV India Start News
NDTV 24X7 IBN 7 Zee News IBN 7
India TV India TV India TV India TV
UTV Business News 24 Zee Business Sahara Samay
News
NDTV Profit News Live Total TV
Total TV PTC News Samay
7 News Voice of India
IBN Lokmat Azad News
DD News
News 24
News Live
PTC News
Azad News

Religious Religious Religious Religious

Aastha Sansakar Zee Zagran Shradha
Zee Zagran TBN Sansakar
Angel TV
Shradha MH1

Life Style Life Style Life Style Life Style

NDTV Good
Time

Regional Regional Regional Regional

Channel Channel Channel Channel
Not Compared Not Compared Not Compared Not Compared

Additional Additional Additional Additional

Features Features Features Features
No Active Active Games
Channels
NO Movie on Active Astrology
Demand
Active
Doordarshan
Active
 Matrimony
Active Mall

1. Tata Sky

Picture Quality: (5 Stars) Cost Effective: (5 Stars) Tech./Features: (4.5 Stars)

Tata Sky Features

• Uniform volume level across all channels

• Stable set-top-box with less bugs or issues
• Customer service is satisfactory and after-sales support is good
• Joint venture with International DTH Brand,Sky, famous for its exquisite
technology
• Exclusive access to some authentic international channels like BBC
entertainment, Ceebebies

Product Review:

The constant innovation and technology enhancements by one of the earliest entrants,
Tata Sky, are the main reasons behind a very stable set top box.Thus you don't have to
worry a lot about maintenance issue associated with the set top box.Another important
feature which might not be the customer puller but is of great value is - uniform volume
level across channels.This feature by Tata Sky ensures that you don't need to keep
playing with volume levels as you surf the channels.I'm sure that people who believe in
channel surfing will truly appreciate this feature.

One negative aspect of TataSky is that it has lots of add-on packages even for must-have
channels with less number of channels in base package.Though it also helps in
customizing the packages and lets you chose and pay for only those you actually need.So
if you are planning to go for a DTH service with excellent picture/audio quality and need
to get it installed within 24 hours, Tata Sky is the right choice.

2. Reliance BIG TV

Picture Quality: (5 Stars) Cost Effective: (4.5 Stars) Tech./Features: (4 Stars)

Reliance BIG TV Features

• Only DTH with MPEG-4 technology hence can carry more number of channels
• Awesome picture and audio quality
 • Lots of channels in base pack hence more cost effective
• Can watch 12 channels at a time on single screen
• Much better performance even if it rains

Product Review:

Reliance BIG TV comes out as the most cost-effective service across all major DTH
service providers.The base package comes with large number of channels and on top of
that you can select regional package based on your language/regional/cultural
preferences.This way you get an option to make a package for you having base package
and one of the kannada,malayalam,telugu,hindi/punjabi or oriya/bengali packages.Also
we've seen very rare cases of disturbance in cases of rain etc. thus it provides almost
flawless picture quality.

The few negative aspects of Big TV include the little bit unstable set top box and 3-4
days waiting time for installation.But with time the stability issue of set top box will go
away.So if you are planning to go for a cost-effective DTH service which provides true
digital quality and you won't mind waiting for few days, Reliance BIG TV is the best
choice.

3. Airtel Digital TV

Picture Quality: (5 Stars) Cost Effective: (4 Stars) Tech./Features: (4.5 Stars)

Airtel Digital TV Features

• Flawless DVD Quality picture and CD quality

• Universal remote which works both with TV and Set top box
• Exclusively offers World-space satellite radio channels
• Sleek and stylish set top box
• Larger dish antenna hence better connectivity

Product Review:

The late entrant in DTH space - Airtel Digital TV - has come up with a completely
flawless DVD quality picture and sound.Also while early players were providing
different remotes for set top box and television ,which was a big pain for viewer, Digital
TV has completely undone that issue by coming up with universal remote.Sleek and
stylish look of set top box along with exclusive access to World-space channels add to its
clear differentiation from other players.

The biggest negative aspect of Airtel Digital TV is the high cost associated with it.When
there are many other players providing lots of channels at a lower price, Digital TV by
Airtel stands out as a lot costlier.So if you don't mind paying a premium for supreme
quality and exclusive features like World-space, Airtel Digital TV definitely wins the
race.

CASE STUDY – TATA SKY

WHY DTH
• Indian cable TV subscribers are currently spending about
1.5 - 2% (US$ 4 - 5) of their monthly income on cable services

• Globally, consumers spend 3 - 4% of their

monthly income on pay television services
• While this indicates a sizeable growth opportunity,
only a mass service can achieve the economies of
scale to fully exploit the market potential

• This clearly is expensive business

(At least in the short-medium run)
• Rise in Disposable Incomes

 75% percent rise in per capita income ( 1990 – 2009)

• Appetite for Entertainment is growing

 $25 Billion being spent annually by Indians on travel

 45 Million credit card subscribers growing at 35% annually

 10 Million color TVs sold annually

 125 Million TV homes ….have doubled in last 6 years

• Rapid adoption of new technologies by Indians

  5 - 6 Million mobile phone subscribers are added every month
 350,000 Satellite TV subscribers added every month
DTH - congruence of interests for all stakeholders

Broadcasters
Consumers
Transparent / auditable platform
with
no under-declaration
New revenue stream
Convenience of dealing with a
Consistent and professional single operator rather than
service with multiple MSOs
Superior video / audio quality Will minimize piracy
Multiple channel packages to
choose from Interactivity
Access to niche content
Movies on pay-per-view – 800 Government
films
produced in India every year
Ability to move anywhere across Plug the tax leakage through
India w/o buying a new STB declaration
Extensive rural reach Additional source of revenue –
license fee payable by DTH
operators

Finding the perfect mix for DTH

1 2 3 Customer 4
Reach VAS Service
Value
Outstanding
Focus on Customer
Interactive ‘Value’ for
Service at all
Services money brand
Touch Points
PPV 24/7 Call Center
National Quality content
Alerts Language
coverage Relevant
Red Button support
(Urban & packaging
promos Engineering
Rural) Exclusive / Niche
New support
Innovations content
Subscriber
Mgmt
Payment,
Renewals, Brand Building
Recoveries

Monetising volumes. Improving ARPU.

Tata Sky’s Approach

 • “To get to the bottom of the pyramid, start at the top”

• Make technology aspirational to early adopters

• 1 Mn subscribers in 1 year… fastest ever in the world

Play the volume game

Address the mass market with a volume-led strategy
Value based pricing will be the key to success
Innovate to differentiate
Adoption of global success…Red button applications
Payment modes
Interactive programming
New VAS & Products ( PVR)

Execute Effectively
Address market complexity
Rapid scale up

Engage and advise the government / Regulator

Develop a pragmatic regulatory framework
Correct current policy anomalies
 Structure of
Television
Broadcasting Video
Industry
Video
Uplinking from India
BROADCASTERS  Uplinking from Abroad
Agent/Intermediary

Distributors of TV Channels

Multi-System Operators
 Premium Video
Headend in the Sky Etc.
MSO HITS Broadband DTH

Cable Operators
 Music
 Conclusion:

• TataSky is the only DTH which provides uniform volume level across channels.
• BigTV and Airtel Digital TV comes with MPEG-4 technology. This technology
helps in carrying more channels in same band space but doesn’t affect the picture
quality.
• TataSky and BigTV are better choice for rainy areas because of bigger antenna
size.
• If you are very selective about channels, TataSky is the best fit as it has lots of
small packages and add-on packages so that you can customize the package as per your
need.
• BigTV stands best if you are worried only about cost per channel. So if you just
want to pay least and access maximum channels, Big TV is better choice.
• If you need a DTH with classic look or if you are a music lover and listen to lots
of music channels, then you can go for Airtel Digital TV which comes with exclusive
access to World-space channels.
• And last but not the least, if you want to start enjoying DTH experience from
today, go for TataSky because that’s the only DTH which will be delivered and installed
the same day after you place the order.