AirTel after Reliance, have launched their Direct-To-Home (DTH) satellite TV service – Airtel Digital TV which is a DTH satellite television service in India that is using MPEG-4 digital standard with DVB-S2 technology and transmitting using INSAT 4CR 74°East. It is the 6th DTH service launched in India.
Sunil Mittal, the Indian telecom giant has owned Airtel digital TV which is a part of Bharti Telemedia Ltd a susidiary of Bharti Airtel Limited. Through the largest mobile service Provider Of India Airtel, he brought mobile Services to India. Airtel digital TV operation with a slogan “Come Home To The Magic” had started since 9 October, 2008. Currently it offers over 175 channels as well as many interactive ones along with WorldSpace Satellite Radio channels. They are also planning to bring internet on DTH by using Airtel Live, It is the second provider providing mpeg-4 technology in India.
Exciting features of Digital TV
• MPEG-4 digital compression
• DVB-S2 technology
• Transmitting using INSAT 4CR 74°East
• Worldspace Radio content
• New games every six weeks
• On screen account meter are packaged with this TV
With over 175 channels, the packages starts from Rs. 2499 for a six-month subscription in which the channel price band ranges from Rs. 99 to Rs. 424. Airtel Digital TV is available in 62 cities in the first phase through 21000 Airtel retail and relationship centers.
Important thing is that the dish antenna is 20% larger than the conventional antenna for better performance during adverse weather conditions. It also boasts of high set top box memory for new interactive applications like iTravel (browse and book travel packages), iCity (city information guide), iMatinee (cinema ticketbooking), iShop (tele-shopping), Widgets (stocks) with eight screen iNews and iSports with 2/4 screens.
I must say Airtel has to show difference in their product and services to stand strong amongst existing DTH segment players such as Tata Sky, Sun Direct DTH, Zee Dish TV, and Reliance Big TV.
