Big TV Improves its User Interface, Adds More Features

In its bid to improve viewing experience for its subscribers, Big TV has added some new features in its graphic user interface.

Subscribers can now move the Big TV logo on the screen by channel, to ensure that it does not obstruct while watching any program or overlap the channel logo.

Few more features include direct links like remote key access to Program Guide and select (12 channel mosaic preview), a 12-hour time clock, and specific genre headings for each Select screen.

According to the company, its home page is now more informative with direct links to its exclusive cinema channels landing page, iNTERACTIVE landing page, and other services like account info, onscreen user guide etc.

The cinema page will now be picture-based (DVD Jacket covers) wherein the viewer can browse through the list of movie genres and then select the movie to play and directly tune to the selected cinema channel. Even the iNTERACTIVE landing page is picture-based now.

Mahesh Prasad, president - Reliance Communications, said, "We are committed to offer our customers new and improved value added services. Our aim is to make the BIG TV known as the most user-friendly brand in the DTH space and we will take all the necessary steps to do that."

Big TV crossed 1 million subscribers within 3 months of its launch, and holds 15% of the DTH market share.

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Big TV Reaches Mount Everest

Reliance has gone where no DTH service provider has dared to go, not out of space but the company recently started servicing the base camp of Mount Everest at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), situated 15,317feet above sea level at Dropadi ka Danda.

According to the company a team of 24 members braved snowstorms and temperatures reaching 3 degrees to trek from Uttarkashi to the base camp from the 26th to the 30th of November.

Big TV has a 300 member installation team in North India that have been trained to access the mountainous region to set up their DTH service there.

Mahesh Prasad, president, Reliance Communication, said, "Big TV holds the biggest market share in both Uttarakhand (also known as Uttaranchal) and Himachal Preadesh. On an all-India basis, Big TV has achieved one million subscribers within 90 days of its launch, to become the fastest-growing DTH service in India."

Big TV acquired 44% of the market share in Himachal Pradesh in less than the 90 days since it entered the mountainous state. The company has also got hold of 60% of the market share in the remote areas of Rohru, Kotkhai, Karsog, Nadaun and Palampur.

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Big TV's One Antenna, Multiple Connection Service

Big TV is making rapid strides in the DTH market with continuous innovation. Reliance is now going to provide Multi-Dwelling Unit (MDU) installation service, a customised DTH service, where a single dish antenna can provide DTH connection to multiple households.

Hence every household need not install individual dish antennas, as the individual set-top boxes will be linked to a large dish antenna. The Multi-Dwelling Units is primarily targeting group volumes in residential societies, commercial buildings, new township, business parks, etc.

The MDU dish size varies between 90 cms and 120 cms, depending on the number of households it services. Reliance will incur the cost of the hardware and also offer one STB to each household. The option to choose their own channel package including the free regional pack will be available.

This move can get Big TV more subscribers as many residential complexes don't like to have too many dish antennas placed on balconies. Big TV holds 15% of the market share after surpassing 1 million subscriber mark within 3 months of its launch.

Big TV has set-up a network of 350 Direct Sales Agents (DSAs) and 500 member installation team to handle MDU business across India. MDUs have already been installed at over 1500 locations, and the installation process is underway at nearly 4000 locations.

Recently the government announced reduction of Cenvat from 14% to 10%, giving some respite to the DTH players who have been planning to increase the price of their services due to the weakening rupee. However, it remains to be seen if this will affect the cost of STBs.

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Big TV Expected to Hike DTH Price

The global economic crisis is expected to hit DTH segment, with all DTH operators, including Reliance Big TV, planning to hike their prices.

The South market will be the first to witness the price rise, since the change in price is expected to have little impact on the spiralling demand.

South is a major market for Big TV, as nearly 50% of the subscribers are based there, and overall South accounts for 35% of the DTH market. The weakening rupee is increasing the cost of importing set-top boxes.

But as newer players entered the market, lot of operators slashed the set-top box prices and subscription rates, but that will change soon.

Recently, Big TV also announced series of new movie releases for its 32 pay-per-view (PPV) channels in English, Hindi and regional languages. In English movies, Big TV is offering subscribers movies like Black Hawk Down, Peggie Sue Got Married, The Rundown, The Way We Were, SWAT, Anger Management, Midnight Express, Bite The Bullet, Short Circuit 2 and Frankenstein.

While the Hindi line-up includes 20 films like Aap Ka Saroor, Mast, Chalte Chalte, Aetbaar, Keemat, Goal, China Gate, Sultanat, Anubhav and Shaadi Ke Baad. In regional category, Kannada films like ‘Amruthavarshini’ and ‘A’ can be viewed on the pay-per-view channels.

Under pay-per-view services, Big TV offers 10 Hindi and 10 regional flicks monthly to its subscribers. English movies are priced for Rs 50 per month while regional is priced at Rs 60 per film. The movie library is updated every fortnight.

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