Dish TV, Tata Sky and now Big TV: Consumer satellite-based direct-to-home television taking off in a big way

46

Just couple of years back India did not have a single household with Satellite television connection. Consumers had to be satisfied with arbitrarily-laid-poor-signal terrestrial cable connections to watch their favorite TV shows.Reliance ADAG Big TV launch

Not anymore- In last 2 years itself more than 8,00,000 (Eight lakh) subscribers have opted for satellite-based direct-to-home (DTH) services. The financial muscle of the two operators – Dish TV and Tata Sky – the Zee and Tata groups, respectively, has resulted in aggressive marketing and advertising blitz – Shah Rukh Khan is Dish’s brand ambassador – tipping the scales.

Now, Reliance ADAG’s Big TV all set for March-2008 launch. They have already opened it up for Reliance employees and their families.

Reliance ADA Group’s Big TV is reportedly slated to commercially go on air in late March 2008, though some Reliance employees are already using the service. The channel claims to have 86 channels on air right now, with 64 expected to come on board over the next couple of weeks.

The company is offering the service to its employees at Rs 1,000, along with a monthly subscription package of Rs 325, which would entitle them to watch the channels being aired and also provide them with Rs 100 worth of Pay Per View (PPV) movies.

Big TV will be offering MPEG4 technology for the first time in the country and has the capacity of up to 250 TV channels, which it claims is much more than any current DTH operator. Subscribers will have access to 32 PPV channels, which will showcase Bollywood, Hollywood and regional films.

Big TV has priced it quite aggressively with Rs.1000 as the entry point that is nearly two times lower than its competitor Dish TV and SkyTV.

Globally, satellite-based direct-to-home (DTH) services have grown drastically over last few years and in some cases even beating the traditional cable connections. I see the same happening in India.

Along with these 3 operators, India is also going to see 2 more providers come in this arena.

The more the merrier!

I have not yet opted for satellite based services, if any of the readers have it in their homes- what is your experience?

46 Comments
  1. Pradeep says

    Can some one help me to get cheap and best dish connection offer? I am planning to buy a dish connection for home viewing.

  2. install direct tv says

    india is quickly catching up on this dish tv field

  3. manoj kumar says

    big tv new offer cricket world cup 2011 and ipl india preaium league twenty twenty 2011.big tv all channel 300.big tv all channel RS 300

  4. manoj kumar says

    big tv start pack on big tv set box .pack start on 1.2.2011.big tv world cup new offer big tv all channel RS 300.

  5. Bharat Bhushan says

    We returned to operate dish tv after 6 months.Paid subscription money. Madam collecting it advised rs 450 annual maintainence charges as well saying dish gets misaligned. It was working ok for first six months.When reached home , found no signal true to Madam’s pridiction.Had to complain repeatedly and telephone for two days for mechanic’s visit.His visit also didn’t start operation immediately. I think it is ploy to extract money from customers.They just stop signal and charge for maintainence.Similar suffering consumers should also voice their concern.

    [Reply]

  6. sagar says

    Reliance Big TV has one of the worst customer service I have ever seen in my life. The 1-800 call center no does not work, the installation did not happen even after 6 days of buying the STB and despite me calling the Bombay call center no mutltiple times in multiple days, the call center guys are totally inexperienced and just do not have answers to the problem. I recommend people to NOT buy Big TV.

    KABHI BIG_TV NAHI LENA BAHUT GANDI SERVICE HAI

  7. prasenjit deb says

    i have bought a dish t.v 1 and half year before .i have disconnected my line because of neo sports cricket.i m a cricket fan but i m not been able to enjoy it.so i have temporally disconnected my dish tv.i wanna know when that will be started.

    prasenjit deb
    tripura agartala 799003

  8. Ani says

    What are you saying dude! how can they do this? are you kidding? Dish tv hs stooped so low to incorporate a penalty clause for lowering teh pack value…

  9. Asim says

    w.e.f dec 10 dish tv has announced its fraudulent poliy of charging customers for downgrading their packages. They are charging 40 bucks as processing fees for which they hav no justification. Fruad. Fruad. Fruad.

  10. Ganesh says

    I was using tata sky last 2 month it has good picture quality but channel is less as compare to big tv and prise is not 150, 175, 125 pack and showcase movie prise is 75 please decrease the prise and increse the channal

  11. guru prasad says

    HELLO, MAINE KAL AAP KO KUCH PUCHA THA .AAP NE JAWAB KYON NAHI DIYA.Mr.Arun ([email protected]) .please muje jawab chahiye ki bigtv gulf(kuwait) mai aata hai ke nahi.

  12. guru prasad says

    muje ye pata karana hai kiye bigtv gulf(kuwait) mai aata hai.kyon ki hamane india se bigtv ka reciver magaya hai. tomuje ye bataiye ki bigtv kis site aata hai.mai indian hoon isaliye hindi mai likha.please hindi mai jawab dena.

  13. chetan says

    Dear

    I purchesh to big tv last three manth on good quliti and good service provaider to the reliance bigtv

  14. Rad says

    Big tv should think of increasing their bandwidth of their customer care. It’s the backbone department of any company & they are really loosing out for the quality of service they are offering. Along with bandwidth, their answers to our queries should hav a solution rather than having routine statements, leaving a blank face despite a call to the so called “customer care department”

  15. Kavya kn says

     Hi , i bougt one big tv  in rw in bangalore, there was a delay in the installation, then i went to reliancewrold forum i met mr TG Kumar, he help me for installation,i think  he is very good customercare executive for big tv, if u are facing any problem regarding any big tv, pls contact him,…. contact no,.. Kumar,….080-32939123 or 32939129

  16. harsha says

    DTH has caught up the viewers very well.. here is the proofhttp://blog.harshas.net/2008/08/this-is-what-we-call-digital-revolution.html

  17. aravind says

    Dear Friends,

    Thinking about digital display and if you go for dish connection, there ends your happyness. the service is totally bad, if we complaint they so what ever you want you do, my VC No is 01501807125, in 24 hours more then 50% of the time the channels will not come, if we ask for service they say service charge. and do not respond properly. if you are doing renual then to activate they take lot hel of time, and need to watch Etv urudu for 24 hours. so lot hel of problems.

  18. B.muralidaran says

    I had purchased BIG TV dth service from R World store at RS Puram Coimbatore on 26/08/2008

    Vide creditcard.

    After taking the payment I was told that set top box is not ready and can be collected the very next day and installation will not
    take not more than three days and they have not given me any receipt for the payment made. After many visits and phonecalls i
    was given a set topbox and on the sameday I had calledup your service center and I was given a workorder
    NO:0000000000908568 on date 01/09/2008 but so far even after 11 days nobody have turned up for Installation and Activation.

    I had called up your customer care no and complained 2 times and i was told that the normal time for Installation and Activation
    is three days. I had repeatedly called the sales person at R World Mr.Prince and your Store incharge Mr.Shaiju on phone and
    even after several visit to your R World there is no one to give a solution.

    So kindly arrange to refund my amount of Rs2190/- immediately of me surrendering my settop box at your R world in RS Puram
    The staff at your R World are so courteous that they do not answer my Calls to their mobile nos.

    I was at your R World today and your staff are saying to new enquiries for your dth service Max time for Installation and Activation is four days.What a Big LIE
    Thanks for the experience in BIG TV

    B.Muralidaran

  19. Arvind says

    BIG TV has really very BAD post sales services. Customer care is of NO use. I have got the setup last week. after some time it shows poor signal and never came back. On Contineous complaint to customer care for last 7 days, nobody is looking into it!!Also the customer care number never picked up before 30 mins or so hold. they refuse to give escalation contacts also!=========THIS IS AN HIGHLY UNAPPRICIABLE AND PATHATIC SERVICE FROM BIG TV!!!!=============Now that i have already invested my money. can anybody suggest what to do now? 1. does anyboday have any escalation point details?2. anyother way to take action to get my money back?Write me at [email protected].===PLS HELP !!=====regards, Arvind

  20. saikiran says

    i own tatasky service and am from south india.this service is totally devastating for telugu audience.we have more than 20 telugu channels which the local cable operators provide along with all popular hindi channels and sports channels at a cost of 150.we get less than this for a cost more than 500 on tata sky with lot of useless stuff of other regional channels.only that the quality is good on tatasky.now we repent for having opted this service.not an average indian would like to spend more than 400 for tv entertainment.isn’t it ?

  21. rahul says

    Reliance Big TV has one of the worst customer service I have ever seen in my life. The 1-800 call center no does not work, the installation did not happen even after 6 days of buying the STB and despite me calling the Bombay call center no (022-30338888) mutltiple times in multiple days, the call center guys are totally inexperienced and just do not have answers to the problem. I recommend people to NOT buy Big TV. My complaint no is 75103862

  22. SK says

    Big TV service is really bad they are not attending complain with in time, even after you keep calling them. They think every thing can solved on telephone. I advice never go for big tv

  23. Radha Iyer says

    my cousin opted for Big TV…but their customer care sucks!!! Cant open their site. dfeinitely they are not prepared for the launch.

    i agree tht tata sky has excellent dvd picture quality…pricewise i am watching all channels including the entertainment pack, ten sports & most interesting actve channels in not more than Rs340.

  24. Nikhil says

    Tata sky is good for quality pics,however tata sky is playing dirty by increasing the price.i had subcribed for the supersaver pack which had all the channels @330rs,now for the same set of channels i m paying 360rs.
    Cust service is average not great
    the showcase section-movies is a joke!! 75rs for flop and old movies.will need to explore diff provider’s with lower price range

  25. Sekh Nurul Amin says

    Dear big dth ,

            for your kind information i hail from orissa currently staying at greater noida (U.P)wants the features ob big dth for greater noida  & orissa pls provide the details for both location .or you can call me on 09911797611.& why i choose big other than others.

  26. Arjun says

    I just purchased a Tsky conxn andboy it ROX!…A boon frm the regular mill of the run stuff it gives you a gr8 getaway to modern tech., satellite is here to stay…Happy watchin!

  27. atul deokar says

    information about big tv in details

  28. Abdul salam korea C.G. says

    Big tv is better than dish tv and tata sky for subscipsion in low price mob. no. 09424257566. korea chhattisgarh.

  29. abhishek singhania says

    hello,
    i recently took the big tv conection, but i am not geting after sell service,i have got some problem with conection,just afyer 15 days,,,,, i called to supplier also , but he did not gave me any responce..

  30. nanhakumar says

    hi,

         when big tv launch……

  31. PARAMJIT SINGH says

    I THINK THEY START MORE CHANNAL.B4U MOVIE,ZEE CLASSIC,ZEE ACTION,ZEENEXT,AND MONTHLY SUBCRIPION WILL WANT 125 RS,

  32. marko says

    Big tv has not been launched yet . yet I have recieved my connection on trial basis. here are fisrt observations. BIG tv has an edge over pic quality as im using both tata sky as well as big tv. further more the settbox of BIG has a component output which is a boon for all HD ready panel users. although i havent connected it thru the componenet i must say big tv broadcasts a clearer image as seen on my 55 inch 3 lcd rear pro . my tata sky is still active and i have been comparing several channels . At first the menu doesnt seem as user freindly as t sky ut u get used to it in a very shor while. atleast I did. the pay channels are exciting . ther are several bolly and hollywood channels which i assume will be pay channles in future. Holly classic being one of my fav as well as holy blockbuster

  33. Kalim says

    i am waiting for big tv to come, will have great picture quality in MPEG4.

  34. Kalim says

    I have tatasky connection for last one year, they have very bad after slaes service, simple problems takes much longer to repair, slowly the channels becoming pay channel and dissappearing from normal package.

  35. avinash says

    when contacted to big t.v customer care i came to know that they will be launching thier product anywhere between june or july08. and no more details i could get

  36. rajesh chafekar says

    Dear Sir
    I am Intrested Attched in Big tv. I am Waiting For 6 Month Now. I really love DTH for its excellent quality Mp4. Sir, Big tv lanching date not display in website. please infor me.

    thanks

    Link | May 13th, 2008 at 11:18 am

  37. birendra pandey says

    res.sir
    i want dilership of big tv in sinrauli m.p. pls send more detail about big dth

  38. amit says

    When is Big tv finally coming? i am waiting for 3 months now.

  39. V K BUGGA says

    Subscriber ID 1010806337
    Location: A-5, MCD Flats, Soami Nagar, New Delhi-110017.
    From today,i. e., 21st April, 2008, NDTV Imagine has disappeared while other channels are intact.
    Why so? There was no prior intimation nor any message conveyed.
    This is simply betrayal of cotract for which TataSky has to explain why legal action be not taken against them.
    I NEED AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE PLEASE.

  40. Chandermohan says

    I am intrested attched in reliance group in big tv .
    I am intrested Office Excutive in BIG TV in Punjab Ferozepurdist
    My total experiance is approx 3 years in account,computer operator & recovery officer in Dishtv Distributors in
    Ferozepur Punjab

    please contact me
    Chandermohan Barwan
    9815712009

  41. S K Vignesh says

    The Big TV website is now ready… even though the home page shows that the site is under construction, http://www.bigtv.co.in/bigtv/index.html gives a complete picture, the FAQ Page (http://www.bigtv.co.in/bigtv/index.html) also gives the price and details of the currently running employee offer.

    I think it would make sense to wait and watch rather than going for a connection now.

  42. harish goyal says

    I am intrested attched in reliance group in big tv .
    I am intrested sales represantative in BIG TV in rajasthan hanumangarh & sri ganganagar dist
    My total experiance is approx 12 years in account,marketing,computer operator & sales & recovery officer in tata indicom in hanumangarh DSA
    please contact me
    harish goyal
    9414510729

  43. sachin says

    I really love DTH for its excellent quality. I first bought my DishTV 4 years back. It was excellent but the support was disgusting. After TATA Sky launch, i immediately went for it, the quality was much better then Dish TV also the support was very good.

    Lets hope Reliance better’s it.

  44. vinod upadhyay says

    Sir,bjg tv lanching date not display in website.please infor me.
    thanks

  45. a webkis says

    I am looking for a new lcd tv i searched and found something on net.i just wanted to know what shud i keep in mind wile buying lcd tv one link i found is http://stores.nextag.com/yourhdexperience

  46. Arun says

    Yorick,
    I got the tata indicom data card too…just yesterday. My initial experience is that it is painfully slow…How is the reliance connection?

Reply To Rad
Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published.

who's online