Direct to home
TV (DTH) subscribers are in for a bonanza. And it's coming courtesy the government-owned Doordarshan which has rechristened its free DTH service DD Direct+ as FREEDISH. Not just that. It is all set to get a makeover à la its private sector DTH cousins and launch snazzy call centres. There's more: a new package of 120 channels which will require activation of a new range of consumer set top boxes (STBs) is being introduced.
DD sources say that the work contract for the same has already been finalised and the equipment is currently being shipped. “We currently have 17 million active subscribers and expect to add a million subscribers per month once we start the 120 channel STB service,” says a DD official.
The pubcasters’ current 59 channel STBs cost Rs 1200, while the 120 channel STBs are expected to be priced at Rs 1400. The 59 channels include 21 DD channels and 38 other channels offering a wide variety of entertainment, musical, devotional, educational, news, international channels.
“We are now working towards offering 120 channels free of cost for a lifetime to DTH consumers,” he adds.
So what happens to the old STBs? “Well, if the existing customers want to switch to 120 channel STB, they will have to buy the new one,” says the official.
DD is also deviating from the past as subscribers to its FREEDISH 120 channel service will need activation of their STBs.
