[myavu]

We did our TataSKY channel selection today and the monthly charges came down to 447 from current 735. Will get activated from February 1st onward. Finger tightly crossed.

Note. It was a tough job for me and wife to select channels. A along list of channels and its pricing were confusing. Then we found an easy solution. We selected more or less all channels and in the next confirmation page it was easy to remove channels and the final amount was dynamic too to reach a monthly price point. We put 500 as our target and reached 447.


Cheers!

[fordday]

Originally Posted by Desmosedici

I have already done that 6 months back. Got the Firestick. Use it for Amazon Prime, Netflix and Hotstar. Totally worth it. You get all the movies and TV series on it, without ads and at your convenience.

Does it stream news and sports channels too? I have no idea how it works.

[Ithaca]

Originally Posted by BoneCollector

I tried to select channels today on TataSky and I must say, they're at cheating again.
Finally when I was able to do all selection process, I found out that multi TV prices have gone up from 240 per month to 400 per month!

Same unfortunate experience for me.
Selected A-La-Carte channels and ended with a pack that will cost me Rs 857 per month and based on the selected channel list, my second TV will cost Rs 600 per month.
Decided to cancel the second TV connection.
Called Tata Sky and the representatives tried to get me to continue with the additional TV.
Insisted that she register my request for cancellation of additional TV.
Have been informed that the request has been taken and I should also call up again on 31st Jan and reconfirm my request to cancel the additional TV.

Not worth paying Rs 857 + 600 = Rs 1457 per month.
Will run out the balance and take a call on what needs to be done.

[huntrz]

We usually watch only a few channels in every segment(movies, entertainment, news etc). Too many channels in the bouquet does sound good but is definitely impractical. Moreover we are compelled to pay a higher price for the increased bouquet size. When a DTH providers(used to) shows us the bouquet but it didn't reveal the pricing behind it, many channels used to come free. Why would it promote a newly launched channel of a small media house unless it gets money.

Its relatively transparent now. People will pay only if the content is worth paying else they will move to free channels. Also newer and smaller channels will not be able to command any money. People may subscribe some channels occasionally only to watch certain content. In my opinion in the long run this will induce competition and along with the threat from other content providers and distributors like netflix and hotstar the channel pricing for consumers via DTH is bound to fall. Moreover it makes little sense for channels to ask for money for viewership and at the same time charge money from advertisers.

For a log time DTH companies had kind of oligopoly and charged based on their perceived reputation than value addition. Rise in monthly bouquet for the same number of channels may only be temporary and I am sure the prices will fall in the long run to boost TRPs. So guys wait and watch.

[Desmosedici]

Originally Posted by fordday

Does it stream news and sports channels too? I have no idea how it works.

No idea about News as I don't watch news channels. For sports, Hotstar covers everything for Star and Sony LIV covers the Sony ones. Don't know about Ten Sports. My primary sports viewing is only F1 so Hotstar suffices.

Cheers,
Raj

[DigitalOne]

My post on another thread has been moved here to create this thread. First for me in TBHP. Made my day !!
---

Originally Posted by huntrz

We usually watch only a few channels in every segment(movies, entertainment, news etc). Too many channels in the bouquet does sound good but is definitely impractical. .... Its relatively transparent now. People will pay only if the content is worth paying else they will move to free channels. Also newer and smaller channels will not be able to command any money. People may subscribe some channels occasionally only to watch certain content. In my opinion in the long run this will induce competition and along with the threat from other content providers and distributors like netflix and hotstar the channel pricing for consumers via DTH is bound to fall. ..... Rise in monthly bouquet for the same number of channels may only be temporary and I am sure the prices will fall in the long run to boost TRPs. So guys wait and watch.

Rightly and succinctly put. This is what I have been saying from day 1. Transparent pricing of channels across DTH platforms will bring necessary competition and will bring down the prices. For example, I didn't select Jaya TV (Tamil GEC) which is priced Rs 19. The only way I will be induced to buy Jaya TV is if they bring down the MRP.

Right now, people are comparing on number of channels, and saying prices have increased, without considering that it is virtually impossible to watch more than 30-40 channels.

I have requested changes to my Videocon D2H from South Platinum HD pack (Rs 780) to new TRAI a-la-carte to Rs 560 (with still some scope of reduction, I think).

[diyguy]

Has anyone with child connection found out how to make the child an independent connection and choose channels differently on there? I am on Zee Dishtv.

[Shreyas Agarwal]

Somebody please suggest me a DTH operator. My bill was coming upto about Rs. 622 per month which was saving me Rs. 700 per year but then I got to a page where Tata Sky told me that I need to pay Rs 400 per extra TV per month bringing my costs up by about Rs. 4000 per year which is unbearable, so please suggest a new operator.

[indian21r]

Just 1 Telugu Kids Sports HD Pack and 1 multi TV the bill is now touching 1100 for me. While I used to pay 985 for all the channels. Had I selected everything that I wanted I am looking at easily 2000 bill.

This no longer feels like fair pricing.
Ads/Channel Charges/ forcing DD channels and increasing Multi room charges

This is looting. Only because my parents are not comfortable using the streaming services that we are continuing with this. Otherwise it would have been cord cutting time

[DigitalOne]

Originally Posted by indian21r

Just 1 Telugu Kids Sports HD Pack and 1 multi TV the bill is now touching 1100 for me. While I used to pay 985 for all the channels. Had I selected everything that I wanted I am looking at easily 2000 bill

Is it possible to get new connections to the same house?

If so, you may look at the option of different connections instead of multi-rooms. And then select channels based on usage for each connection. For example, Religious (almost all religious channels are free) + Regional + GEC for your parents room. Kids + Edu for your kids room connection and so on.

This might bring down the costs.

[indian21r]

Originally Posted by DigitalOne

Is it possible to get new connections to the same house?

If so, you may look at the option of different connections instead of multi-rooms. And then select channels based on usage for each connection. For example, Religious (almost all religious channels are free) + Regional + GEC for your parents room. Kids + Edu for your kids room connection and so on.

This might bring down the costs.

That seems like a good option. I will observe for a few days and take the call. As such the second TV is only HD Ready so opting it as new connection makes sense I don't have to pay for HD.

Got to see what DTH is good for Telugu Channels

[fordday]

Originally Posted by DigitalOne

Right now, people are comparing on number of channels, and saying prices have increased, without considering that it is virtually impossible to watch more than 30-40 channels.

I have requested changes to my Videocon D2H from South Platinum HD pack (Rs 780) to new TRAI a-la-carte to Rs 560 (with still some scope of reduction, I think).

Agreed on the 30-40 channels viewing.

I too have D2H. I haven't checked their site till now.
Don't they have the base pack at Rs 130 plus tax to start with? I would want that and build up from there.

[manas27587]

I have worked out a pack where it includes 69 channels, includes what the wife and the mother watch.
For me I have the hotstar and amazon prime subscription which suffices my need for sports and movies also certain news channels.
Kept away from the movie channels and sports channels.
Few packs are attractive which I have included.
Cancelled the 2nd TV subscription as I have amazon fire stick on that one.
Will be paying around 300 per month.
Seems fair to me.

[tortoiseNhare]

I have communicated the selections for my own Airtel DTH and parents' DishTV connection online. I have been given a reference number in each case. Till now I am not clear if there will be a lock in period regarding the selection of channels or if I can make alterations in my pack as and when I wish. At present I have long term (1 year) subscriptions running in both. In my case I have observed that keeping as many viewing options as before has become more expensive while it has become cheaper to retain just the channels I need.

[diyguy]

I have three connections from zee DTH in parent child connection. I had suspended one in Nov. With two active connections, I logged into the dishtv.in site individually with the VC numbers and made my channel selections. Not all channels are available for selection. I did not find mom's channels of sanskar, aastha etc and will bear the brunt from 1st Feb I guess. Whatever I could find, I selected. There are predecided 100 channels as part of the NCF and one can turn off from those if not interested but I was unable to replace the default list with anything else. I have now submitted for my two active VCs and will see how it goes. My wife and kids have moved to mainly using Prime Video and Netflix, so impact is only my mother for now.
I did not choose any bouquets but for my living room tv, the portal automatically suggested a bouquet. The rate is 100rs lower than what I was paying before but at a cost of more than 150 channels missing from my prior available channel list. Don't think this move from TRAI and government is to help us consumers in my opinion.