The Hindu Business Line : TataSky bid to drive it home

As it gets ready for launch in mid June, the Tata-Star TV direct-to-home (DTH) venture, TataSky, is planning a spate of activities not only to educate masses about the benefits of DTH, but also to make it a sought-after one. The company plans to reach at least a million homes within the first year of launch.

Mr Vikram Kaushik, CEO, TataSky, said that though its pricing would be at a slight premium than that of the cable operators, it would ensure that the subscription pricing would be competitive. "We will definitely not be a Rs 800 or Rs 1,000 service. Our service would be mass and not premium. Since this is an evolving industry, our final pricing and content will be decided and announced closer to launch time."

"We plan to establish an extensive service network across the country, which will directly take the responsibility of installing the hardware at the subscriber's home and servicing it. For this, the company plans to engage a strong field force, which will be complemented by customer service representatives trained to solve all customer problems," he added.

Subscription cards

Mr Kaushik said the company plans to offer a host of EMI schemes as well as offer various subscription price-points. It also plans launch to pre-paid subscription cards at various price-points, which would enable viewers to subscribe to channels of their choice. "Our research showed that most consumers didn't like people coming to their homes to collect cheques, neither are they willing to go the service provider's office to pay."

These subscription cards would be classified either on the basis of genre or language. It would be available at all those outlets where mobile pre-paid cards are available. Mr Kaushik said that even the hardware would be available in all consumer electronic stores.

"We plan to introduce a nationwide DTH service that would allow it to reach every Indian home, however remote it may be. The service will be launched in both urban and rural areas. Subscribers of our service will be able to enjoy the best of channels in DVD quality picture and CD quality sound," he said.