Big TV Offers Free HD DVR with Samsung LED TVs

In its bid to promote the new high-definition digital video recorder (HD DVR), Reliance Big TV has joined hands with Samsung India, to provide this new service free on purchase of Samsung LED TV range.

Customers can also avail of two months of free silver pack subscription along with one HD channel without any installation or activation fee. The offer is available across India till September 15, 2010.

While recently Big TV also slashed the price of the HD DVR offering to Rs 4990 from the earlier launch price of Rs 7490 in May.

Speaking on the new offer, Umesh Rao, senior vice president, Reliance BIG TV said, "Our partnership with Samsung will take the television viewing experience to its next level. With HD transmission and digital video recording capability from Reliance BIG TV set top box, Samsung LED TV customers are set for a veritable treat in their living rooms."

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Big CBS Networks to Hit India

Reliance Big Tv and Cbs Networks, have joined hands to provide an equally owned joint venture, christened, Big CBS Networks. Big CSB Network is all set to launch a series of English entertainment channels that are customized for the Indian Audience.

The newly formed venture will launch three new English channels, that will be branded BIG CBS Prime that falls under the premium English general entertainment, while the next BIG CBS Spark, will be the countries first English youth channel and last but not the least BIG CBS Love, India's first English entertainment channel dedicated to the fairer sex.



The channels will begin to premier in the fourth quarter of 2010 with most of the content from the CBS catalogue. The Indian audience can expect to see programs like, Hawaii Five-0, the NCIS franchises, America’s Next Top Model, Survivor, 90210, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Frasier and Entertainment Tonight.

Tarun Katial, chief executive officer, Reliance Broadcast Network, said, "This is truly a landmark moment not just for us but the entire Reliance ADA Group. We are confident that our deep understanding of the Indian consumer's entertainment requirement and advertiser needs, coupled with CBS' reputation for creating superior content, will offer unmatched and pioneering entertainment to audiences in India."

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Big TV's New Interactive Services - iMall & iHolidays

Big TV has expanded its interactive services portfolio to include 'iHolidays' and 'iMall', both targeted at providing users a complete experience of their DTH service.

iHolidays as the name suggests allows subscribers to search, view and book their dream holiday packages on the travel portal - Ezeego1.com, and also get affordable and discounted deals on international and domestic hotels.

While iMall is a dedicated shopping channel where users can choose from a range of products - jewelery, clothes for all occasions etc. - offered at special prices to BIG TV subscribers.

This service is in association with JPearls, one of the retail brands offering its customers to view and buy gold, diamond and pearl jewellery from the comfort of their homes.

Umesh Rao, senior vice president, Reliance BIG TV, said, "Going forward, we plan to build significant momentum in the VAS (value-added services) space. We are committed to bringing in enriched and differentiated content to delight our subscribers."

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Big TV to Show Marathi Plays

Tapping newer segments, Big TV will now air successful Marathi plays on its Choice Pay Channel for just Rs 25. The plays will be available to the subscribers all through July till August 10th. 2010.

The show includes works from Marathi Theater such as Purush, Raigada La Jevha Jaag Yete, Mee Nathuram Godse Boltoay, Hasva Fasvi, Ranaangan Tee Phool Rani, and Kusum Manohar Lele and many more.

Umesh Rao, Senior Vice President, Reliance BIG TV said, “This is a small initiative from our side to promote Marathi art and culture. This will surely open the doors for our audience to the wide and wonderful world of Maharashtrian theatre."

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Big TV Integrated under New Firm, Reliance Digicom

Reliance recently acquired Digicable, the cable television service provider, in an all stock deal, to form a new firm - Reliance Digicom. Big TV, IPTV and Reliance broadband services will be merged with Digicable.

The new entity, claimed to be the world's fifth largest cable television operator, will start with a subscriber base of 11 million homes.

Speaking on this occasion, Anil Ambani, Reliance Communications, chairman said, "The Digital TV and broadband space is poised for similar explosive growth in the years ahead. With this game-changing move, we hope to lead the next revolution in digital home entertainment in India by offering a world-class TV experience and ultra high-speed broadband capability to a billion people."

This acquisition will offer a wider reach to Big TV that is aiming to add five million new customers every year, along with access to ground digital cable distribution network to compliment Big TV's satellite distribution.

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LG TVs Bundled with Free Big TV Connection

Reliance Big TV has inked a deal with LG Electronics to provide customers with Big TV connection bundled with a 1-month free silver pack on purchase of select LG colour televisions.

However, the customers will have to pay Rs 399 as installation charges. This offer is launched across Karnataka, Rajasthan, Punjab, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Haryana, and is valid till June 30, 2010.

Umesh Rao, senior vice president, Reliance BIG TV, said, "We are excited about this partnership that brings in a dramatic scaling of reach and unprecedented value proposition for LG customers. We will aggressively pursue cross-category alliances to reach out to a broader spectrum of end users."

Also in line with the launch of its high-definition set-top box (STB) with digital video recorder (DVR), Big TV is conducting in-shop display campaign in retail outlets across 100 cities. This includes demonstration units, array of merchandising aids and trained in-shop promoters who will communicate the features and benefits of its high-definition STB and DVR.

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Big TV Launches High Definition STB with DVR

The wait is finally over. Reliance Big TV has introduced its high-definition set-top box (STB) integrated with digital live TV recording feature, across 100 cities in the country.

Priced at Rs 7490 and Rs 7990, this HD DVR set-top box offers five times clearer and sharper image quality with two million pixel resolution and digital surround sound effect.

The digital video recording includes features like pause, play, rewind Live TV, record a program while watching another channel, capability to record up to 200 hours of video programming, 3-in-1 universal remote to give its subscribers the advantage of using single remote to control three devices like the TV, set-top box and any other music player system.

Sanjay Behl, CEO, Reliance Big TV, explains, "This is India's first product with a dual benefit of High Definition viewing and Digital Video Recorder in a single Set Top Box. Further, Reliance BIG TV is the only service provider to offer recording capability upwards of 200 hours and a universal remote control which can manage up to 3 devices."

The pricing differs region wise, in the Southern market the entry offer is priced at Rs 7790 bundled with five months of value pack with a full bouquet of sports channels. While in other regions, Big TV is launching the entry offer at a higher price of Rs 7990. Under this offer, subscribers get three months of Diamond Pack bundled with HD National Geographic and 152 channels. The existing Big TV customers will benefit with an upgrade option from standard definition (SD) to HD DVR at the cost of Rs 5990, discount of Rs 1500.

To further extend its offering, Big TV is planning to introduce two new transponders in the next three months that will enable them to broadcast another 60 channels, including Big TV's HD movie and entertainment channels. BIG TV has also signed a HD content deal with National Geographic to telecast their programs in India, and is also in talks with various global HD content providers like CBS, ESPN, FOX News and Discovery.

Apart from this, Big TV plans to launch six new interactive services by this year. Its also open to diluting up to 20% stake to a strategic partner. Behl said, "We are open to diluting our stake up to 20 per cent to a strategic partner. In that case there would be possibilities of Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) as well as other investors showing interest."

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