Team-BHP - TRAI announces major overhaul of DTH pricing

Referring to TRAI FAQ on the matter:
http://main.trai.gov.in/sites/defaul...AQ18122018.pdf

Quote:

11. What if annual subscription charges are paid by a subscriber in advance? In case a subscriber has availed any scheme with advance charges paid for future lock-in period like an annual plan the distributor shall continue to provide services for such committed period without any increase in price / charges and without altering the other terms of subscription.
The distributors cannot make any changes that entails any disadvantage to the subscriber in such cases.
However, if the subscriber wants to switch over to a new package after 1st February, 2019 then the proportional balance amount of existing package as on the date of switch over may be adjusted for the new package prices after 1st February, 2019.

Going by this, those who have opted for long term plans should get access to all the channels available in their current pack without having to pay more.

Is it worth replacing my older erratic Tata Sky HD Plus STB with the Tata Sky HD Plus Transfer STB.
Technician who visited to fix cable problem was hinting that Tata Sky does not have too many older HD Plus STB in stock.
Also hinted that the 4K STB are not in demand since there are not many 4K channels.

Only problem is that the Transfer STB cost Rs 9000+
Cord cutting is not an option since my parents are not tech savvy to navigate streaming services.
My current plan is valid till Feb 2020.

Kindly advise.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ithaca (Post 4527894)

If I am not wrong, you are paying Rs 7000/- just for a 500GB hard disk stupid:?
Most of the contents are available on YouTube or even Tatasky mobile app. Sorry for my lac of knowledge in cable television, but you can get a simple HD box + google chrome + 128GB pen drive and still save some money.

Quote:

Originally Posted by diyguy (Post 4527936)

am sure you will find some good boxes on olx. There are plenty of people selling all kinds and brands

@diyguy, thank you for the OLX suggestion. Will look up for used HD STB there as my STB starts deteriorating.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PetrolRider (Post 4528301)

If I am not wrong, you are paying Rs 7000/- just for a 500GB hard disk

@PetrolRider, Yes, new connection Tatasky HD Plus Transfer STB alone costs Rs 9300 for the subscription package I currently am on.
It includes one month free package and then you have to subscribe for the pack.
If my current STB conks off and has to be replaced by the transfer STB, it will cost around Rs 8500 and hopefully my balance pack will be transferred to the new STB.

Cord cutting is not an option since my elderly parents will not be able to navigate streaming services on their own.

Quote:

Originally Posted by diyguy (Post 4527950)

Here's my Dishtv statement and for the life of me I cannot fathom a statement from them even after using them for more than 15+ years. None of the numbers in the image adds up.

That ain't a bug Mister, that's a feature!

'If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit!' - W.C. Fields

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ithaca (Post 4528345)

@diyguy, thank you for the OLX suggestion. Will look up for used HD STB there as my STB starts deteriorating.

.

If you have HD plus stb, my suggestion is, let it conk off. Most likely you will get transfer hd as replacement for mere rs. 600 as tata sky has few HD plus boxes. I have myself got transfer hd as replacement for failed HD plus box for 600.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alto99 (Post 4528527)

Thank you, alto99, for this piece of information.
Relieved to know this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zappo (Post 4527792)

Theory is something that unfortunately only looks good on paper. The problem here is that what TRAI said is a lot like a pie-in-the-sky scenario. Unless they were assuming that every channel in the world will cost Re.1

Carrier charge is capped at Re 1. Not MRP. MRP of each channel is capped at Re 19 (+GST).

MRP goes to broadcaster. Carrier charge goes to DTH Operator. Carrier charge is like the 1 re that milk delivery guys charge over the MRP of the milk packet. The 1 re should not delivery charge should not change just because you are buying a premium organic cow milk or run-of-the-mill toned milk :).

Quote:

And by the way, on that theory of world cup telecast on one channel will bring down the cost of others and thus bring viewers monthly cost down is also difficult to picture in the real sense. Here is why,

My example was probably poorly worded. What I meant was if a channel is not being watched the broadcaster has two options:
1. Improve Content or
2. Reduce Price (or bundle it themselves which is effectively reducing the price).
They don't have the (current) third option of negotiating with DTH operators and including it in a distributor bundle.

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Okay, enough of theorizing :) !!

Attached the MRP of all channels in Excel format for easy filtering. Sourced from Videocon D2H site

You can easily calculate how much your bill will come out to be.

I am on TataSky for so many years. I charge on a monthly basis. Last month I charged for up to Jan 29 only.

I am disappointed that instead of abiding by TRAI regulations as other DTH operators, TataSky is relentlessly challenging TRAI in various courts leaving a bad taste in the customer's mouth.

TataSky has to still update their web site and in fact they are promoting their old packages, tariffs, and schemes on their web site. They have so far not yet come up with their new pricing and bouquets. No one from TataSky has contacted me so far.

I will wait until end of January and if no favorable response from TataSky, then I will shift to some other DTH for sure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by murillo (Post 4529220)

I will wait until end of January and if no favorable response from TataSky, then I will shift to some other DTH for sure.

Ctrl + C , Ctrl + V . Seriously, this is unprofessional from Tata sky. I am fed up of paying this HD fee. I am almost paying a thousand bucks a month for two tvs. TATA code of conduct prevalent in all other TATA companies is not being followed by the DTH arm.