Airtel Digital TV DTH MYTH/FRAUD offers

Update 1: (also see update 2 below)
I started this thread to decide on which DTH to purchase.

Eventually I decided to purchase Airtel DTH based on their SO CALLED ATTRACTIVE offer
1) 4 months free
2) 250Rs credit to account
3) 4 airtel movie channels (paid)
4) 2 topups for Maharashtra
5) 2 interactive service
6) 6 games

But after I purchased it, they fulfilled only 1st two offer. Not other four stating that those offers are now disconnected or not applicable!

WHEREAS THEIR WEBSITE STILL SHOWS ALL THOSE OFFERS TO FRAUD OTHERS!

Please see [post=464310]this post[/post] for details which I keep updating as I myself find more frauds!

Please also go thru whole thread as other users may also have something to say.

Update 2:
After few emails and few calls, airtel finally gave me somethings that were mentioned in original offer (though not everything). Please [post=467472]click here[/post] for details.

Update 3:
After migration to SES-7 they now have activated 3 iTv channels. iAstro, iDarshan, iGoodlife.(see update 4 below)

Also see some info abt channel count [post=471729]here[/post]

Update 4:
Yet another update to this. And final with respect to complaints that I made because everything is resolved.

They have finally removed "Airtel movies 1 and 2" logos from their channel list page. Earlier those logos gave impression that those channels are included in the packages and free if you buy the package.

They have now also given 3 games free.

iAstro and iNews services as per my package are also enabled.

iDarshan and iGoodlife that i mentioned earlier were actually trial offers and i mis-took them as activated as per package.

Original post continues from here:

Ok so I am finally thinking of going for DTH. Fed up of my cable operator charging 350Rs even when DTH packs are now very competitive.

I am in bit hurry to make decision as my cable connection will disconnect on March 1st. How much time does it generally take for delivery after booking?

I have made a table of comparison based on whatever information I could collect from DTH websites. So please let me know if I made any mistake in calculation OR there is better offer available?

MOST IMPORTANT: Let me know if I am missing any HIDDEN CHARGES?

Here is image containing table of comparison I made:


I am not discarding any DTH provider, but I not inclined to following:
1) SUN - mostly because its likely to focus on south packs
2) Reliance - DONT trust! 😀

My requirement are Hindi entertainment/movies and sports pack (ESS + ten sports)

I wud prefer MP4 (but not compulsory)

Does videocon and airtel both have good GUI/frontend/EPG? Then I wud prefer one of them.

For Airtel, in terms and condition for the 4 month free offer, it states that:
Monthly Subscription Package Prices are exclusive of Taxes.Channel count mentioned include all base channels, PPV channels, Games , Widgets Services and Help Services, Whats on Airtel Channel and does not include the channels in free optional/regional channels,if any.
What does that mean? will i have to pay tax of around 22Rs for first 4 months when its free?

What does "does not include the channels in free optional/regional channels,if any." means?

please let me know if you dont understand anything in image.

thanks in advance.

Hello, anyone?Can someone atleast tell me if Airtel calculation is right.. and if there are any issues with Airtel DTH and pricing?

Just 1 question - why not take a DVR instead of a normal STB ?

That costs 2000 Rs extra!And I dont want people to get addicted to TV!

That costs 2000 Rs extra!

And I dont want people to get addicted to TV!
Not to promote DVR ...but i find your logic invalid (getting addicted to tv)

With DVR - you can manage tv viewing in a far better way.
1) You get to record only what you want to watch
2) You get to watch the show when you want to/you find free time - rather than when the show comes
3) You get to save 33% of tv viewing time (60 Minute show has 20 minutes of advertisement, which you can fast forward) - decreasing your tv viewing hours
4) In case you are buying HD DVR - quality/experience of viewing will increase manifold

I bought Tata Sky in the evening(viveks showroom) & the product was installed & activated by next day afternoon. I cant comment on the package coz i've chosen "my pack" based on my usage.

thanks to both.@soodgautam.u dont know my family's tv addition. if they know that something can be recorded...then they will watch all the shows they watch anyway + they will start recording more shows as well... they will think everything is RECORDABLE..and keep recording (even if they will never watch it)they will keep recording junk and i will have to keep trashing junk.they dont realize that STB consumes power too.but now i am thinking of recorder!

If u are not going for DVR, then Videocon & Airtel are the best options, with the advantage of CC favouring D2h - these days they arent appearing, but you can still contact them via email given in that thread. Even their main "Customer Care" that is separate from the Online Team, doesnt give you template answers as far as possible - dont know about Airtel though!!

For HD DVR - well D2h is much costlier than others - 6490+500, but there are 2 things - they give u HDMI & a USB cable (Still dont know to use it, coz the engineers havent come yet) + Platinum HD pack for a month.

Still, i am not saying it comes within "Cheap" costs as compared to others, but it appears reasonable to me. I have noticed 1 more feature which i am not aware of again is -

There's some "Motion Sensor" button on the Remote....... Only their engineer can explain its exact use or may be if anyone else knows........

These factors & the quality of their CC, made me incline to them.

Btw, what is your priority?? Watching HD, or just a recorder would suffice?? If u need just recorder, then D2h doesnt have it - as far as i know, TS has it in its standard non-HD box too.....

thanks to both.

@soodgautam.
u dont know my family's tv addition. if they know that something can be recorded...then they will watch all the shows they watch anyway + they will start recording more shows as well... they will think everything is RECORDABLE..and keep recording (even if they will never watch it)

they will keep recording junk and i will have to keep trashing junk.

they dont realize that STB consumes power too.

but now i am thinking of recorder!

I understand your point 🙂 ...been there myself.
Just that with DVR i dont end up missing my own shows .

Also think of future ...will you be considering to upgrade to HD in coming 2-3 years ?? (many new HD channels are being launched)

FYI - if you want STB with HD and DVR - right now Tata Sky is the cheapest (as far as i know) - 3999/-
Anf their call centers are better than others

IMHO

For HD i need HDTV.. so HD STB is out of question....max i can go for DVR.. but i am worried abt its ABUSE!

I dont know if anyone else except TS gives "DVR only" box.

But if u want non-DVR, non HD, then as your calculations show - Airtel & D2h are worth the options. Just check the minor technicalities of it though......as in the UI, the speed of Surfing, Remote Control's ergonomics and all.

I can say about D2h.....they are good enough.

---------- Post added at 08:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:33 PM ----------

In fact, it just struck me -

I am seriously looking to sell my D2h Standard Def, coz i have got HD DVR.......i will be disposing it at a lower cost than original price of course!!

Its just 3 months old, and i havent removed the plastic covering that protects the STB's Infra Red receptor. So u can imagine how much i have maintained it!!

I am thinking abt airtel...because i had once used it at someone's house...abt 1 month backbut right now i dont remember its UI speed...if channel switching is fast or not.may be some1 from forum can give info.

Ok, but u can check it again at that person's house only!!And as regards help from this Forum - well u being such a regular over here, since so long - u can easily find out how to get the help in the best way!!

I cant check again.. that was when I went out of Mumbai to visit some relative.Abt help, yes u r one of such guy, who is trying to help!

Thanks for the compliments!!

About Airtel, all i can tell u is - i havent heard people fussing a lot about it......As in Poor CC, or Poor Picture/Sound quality, Poor reception, etc.

The reason why i didnt opt for Airtel was a bit "Spontaneous/Childish". What happened was, i wanted to see the list of channels & packages they offered. It wasnt available easily on the site & i had to download a pdf......but i was pissed off by the way they had presented the data & i didnt think further on it!!

---------- Post added at 08:24 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:23 AM ----------

But just recently someone had posted that a comprehensive list is now available on Airtel site.....u must have seen that of course!!