After Reliance, AirTel has also jumped into the fray and is launching their Direct-To-Home (DTH) satellite TV service - Airtel Digital TV, on October 9th.
Airtel Digital TV will be available in 62 cities in the first phase through 21000 Airtel retail and relationship centers. With over 175 channels, the packages will start from Rs. 2499 for a six-month subscription in which the channel price band will range from Rs. 99 to Rs. 424.
Airtel Digital TV will use MPEG4 standard with DVB S2 technology. The system is claimed to be HD ready and expected to deliver quality interactive content.
The set top box will bundle with a universal remote. The dish antenna is 20% larger than the conventional antenna for better performance during adverse weather conditions.
Airtel Digital TV also boasts of high set top box memory for new interactive applications such as iMatinee (cinema ticketbooking), iTravel (browse and book travel packages), iShop (tele-shopping), iCity (city information guide) and Widgets (stocks) along with eight screen iNews and iSports with 2/4 screens.
Apart from this, other features such as Worldspace Radio content, new games every six weeks and on screen account meter are packaged with the Digital TV.
Airtel has to show difference in their product and services to stand strong amongst existing DTH segment players like Tata Sky, Zee Dish TV, Sun Direct DTH and Reliance Big TV. The DTH segment in India is slowly firing up and is leading to stiff competition for the local cable TV operators.
