Airtel to tap subscribers for new DTH TV service; may issue common bills for both

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Airtel to tap subscribers for new DTH TV service; may issue common bills for both
September 11, 2008

Mumbai: Leading cellular service provider Bharti Airtel is all set to launch its DTH (direct-to-home) TV service, and is even ready to leverage the 7.50 crore mobile subscribers it has across India to garner a major chunk of the 50 lakh customers expected to purchase DTH next year.

“We are on the verge of launching our DTH services, and will be looking at ‘one knock on the door’ solutions wherein we offer customers with voice, data, broadband as well as DTH services. We might even come up with a bulk plan offering all these services,” said Atul Bindal, president for telemedia services at Bharti Airtel.

He further added that, in addition to tapping its telecom subscribers, Airtel would also utilise its network of 9,23,472 Airtel Galleries and outlets to further push its DTH service.

“We have already conducted trial runs among our employees. We are just waiting to increase our reach for the DTH platform, then we will launch the services,” said Bindal, but he refused to divulge the exact date for the DTH service’s launch.

Bharti Airtel will become only the second firm after Reliance-ADA Group’s Big TV to roll out a DTH TV service on the latest MPEG-4 technology platform. The Sunil B Mittal-controlled network has set up infrastructure in Gurgoan for uplinking and broadcasting.

“We have already tied up with IBM for front-end IT systems, and will have staff across the 62 locations where we are launching the service initially,” said Bindal, while revealing that his firm will charge fees comparable to other DTH TV service providers and which are generally higher than cable TV fees.

The other existing DTH players include Doordarshan’s DirectPlus, Zee group’s Dish TV, the joint-venture TataSky and recent debutante Reliance-ADA’s Big TV.

According to industry estimates, these firms currently serve 65 lakh customers out of a total 7 crore cable and satellite households in India.

However, according to a report by industry body FICCI and Price-WaterhouseCoopers, the segment will expand at an impressive 44 per cent compounded annual growth rate till at least 2012. In comparison, cable TV households are expected to register a mere 2 per cent growth.

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[ArShAd]

Airtel is a good brand , i am hoping some good offers from them at the time of launching.