The wait is over, Big TV will finally be launched in July, according to sources in Reliance Communications. The impending launch will intensify the DTH market which is expected to dominate 40% of the pay TV universe by 2015. To generate more interest prior to the launch, Big TV site says, "For as little as under Rs 100 a month, you can get over dozens of digital as well as pay-per-view channels and much more."
According to recent reports, customers will have to pay only Rs 1,000 upfront for a Big TV connection, making it the cheapest DTH player in the country. Reliance plans to offer over 250 TV channels, which is more than any other DTH operator, with 30 exclusive movie on-demand channels within a month of its launch.
The Anil Ambani group also signed a contract with India's famous Bollywood actors - the Bachchan family - in a bid to work together in the areas of movies, live shows, TV, internet and mobile entertainment. Its a possibility that Abhishek Bachchan would endorse Big TV. Reliance Comm is certainly making inroads into the DTH market with bang, but it remains to be seen whether they can sustain in this highly competitive market, and more imporatantly whether Big TV lives up to the expectations of millions of consumers.