Direct-to-Home revolution has just begun

By D.V.L. Padma Priya
The Hindu
© Kasturi & Sons Ltd.

DTH operators are set to capture 72 p.c. of 25 million new subscribers in the next three years

HYDERABAD: Imitation is the best form of flattery. However, in any commercial set up imitation also means big business. The Direct-to-Home (DTH) revolution has just begun with major private players entering the arena to lock horns. With the skies opening up (literally), consumers are flooded with ‘attractive offers’ and the city is witness to what can be termed as an ‘Access War’.

According to the latest report from Media Partners Asia (MPA), an international media research firm, the DTH operators are set to capture 72 per cent of the 25 million new subscribers in the next three years through intense competition between the cable and DTH firms.

In the past months, Reliance Big TV and Sun Direct have entered the market in Andhra Pradesh and are all set to woo customers with a ‘direct’ impact on the existing players. According to sources, Sun Direct has penetrated the fastest with a customer base of over 3 lakh people in the State. And with its competitive pricing and language specific packages, it has already left its mark in South India. Reliance Big TV on the other hand attracted customers with its ‘South Popular Pack’ and aims to capture 40 per cent of the potential customers.

Business hit

It’s not just a fight between competitive providers but also between them and the Cable TV operators. “I won’t say that it hasn’t affected my business, but for many, cable TV is a simpler option and fits their pocket,” says P. Ramesh, a cable operator in Secunderabad. With an increasingly mechanical lifestyle, many even say that they hardly have time to watch TV. “After a tiring day at work, I want to spend time with family and not sit in front of the television,” says Gayatri Komaneni, a software engineer.

In this scenario, the game is on to attract customers with competitive and ‘affordable’ pricing apart from other features, such as interactive games for children and ‘pay to view’ movies. While TataSky’s USP has been that it has something for the ‘entire family’ with a bouquet of interesting channels along with interactive games, Reliance’s Big TV offers ‘three months free unlimited access to exclusive BIG Cinema’ apart from affordable starter packs ranging between Rs. 100 to Rs. 175.

Sources say that only six per cent of colour television viewers have currently subscribed to DTH in the country. With 94 per cent of market waiting to be targeted, they feel that prices will only come down. For the providers, content is of foremost importance and most are aiming at creating a niche in providing content. “Sun Direct and Dish have an advantage as they are launched by content providers themselves, hence their pricing is comparatively cheaper,” says T. Rama Rao who works for one of the major providers. And with big brand names like Videocon and Bharti Airtel set to enter the market, it seems to be boom time for prospective consumers. “I will wait and watch till the year end and then take a DTH connection,” says Vikram Singh, a software engineer.