Airtel IPTV, most pathetic service!(Now resolved)

tsk1979 · 21st May 2009, 08:41

Resolved!
I tried calling up nodal office, but nobody was picking up the phone which was coming constantly busy.
So I called up 121 and asked to escalate my complaint.
Soon after, multiple calls came apologizing for the delay, and at 6pm as asked, the engineers came in.

Finally I have IPTV. And the best part is 7 days time shift TV for 35 channels

Ketan · 24th May 2009, 12:55

Hi Tsk,

How's the IPTV experiance going on! I have read lots of complaints about the PQ and the way they are streaming the media. Are you experiancing the similar issues and realized the truemeaning of impatient yet!!

A brief review of the PQ and service would be of great help!
Does anyone know if Airtel IPTV is available in Bangalore.

tsk1979 · 24th May 2009, 14:29

The Picture Quality is okay. Nothing exceptional, as good as the other options in the market.
The time shift TV is a boon. However, alls not rosy. Last night while watching a long program, the channel shifted on its own.
With the fast forward feature we could come back to the same place we were watching but this happened multiple times.
I don't know whether its a set top box issue, or a server side issue. Tomorrow I will speak to the engineers.
Another annoying thing is that if you switch off the STB, and power goes after that, when power comes, the STB automatically turns itself on.

esteem_lover · 25th May 2009, 14:39

Do they have all the pay channels ? HBO/Pix/Star Movies/Sports etc ?

tsk1979 · 25th May 2009, 14:57

Yes all movies and entertainment channels are there. I am not sure how many sports channels are there as I hardly watch any sports channels!
However IPL was coming as they have sony.
I think complete channel list is on the website

Ketan · 1st June 2009, 10:36

I have heard Airtel IPTV is coming to Bangalore and Chennai in another month or so. Not from an official source though.

Can someone compare the Audio and Video quality of Airtel IPTV with TataSky or Airtel Digital TV?
I'm not sure if its okay to compromise with some initial issues that Airtel IPTV is going to face considering the long term advantage when it starts performing well and you have some good HD channels to watch and some good HD movies available on demand!!!!
There is one provider in Bangalore I guess its ACT TV or something whos giving IPTV services at the moment (selected areas only) with a good STB that supports streaming internet media like youtube and so.. Hoping to see those features with Airtel soon, if thats going to be the future, we may not need some of the PCH features

just a normal NMT would do.

tsk1979 · 1st June 2009, 10:52

From what I have seen in shops, most Dish TV services(except for Sun TV) do not have HD signal. So quality of TV will be similar.
In future maybe when more bandwidth is available, airtel can perhaps offer IP HDTV.
The current set top box does not have HDMI, however there is a plastic HDMI shaped slot cover at the back of the box which means in future revisions HDMI may be added.
Most probably I suspect the board of the STB has HDMI capability, but its not gotten out to the port in this market.

Usually companies make same boards for different versions of products, and depending upon market differentiation, they can choose to take out the signals to a port or not.

WanderNomad · 1st June 2009, 11:39

Hey Tanveer - did you get the per month charge issue resolved? Does it work as a Wifi router? How is it connected - through a normal telephone cable? What if I want to connect two TVs then do I need two boxes, for these 35 channels can you play anything of last one week, can you fast forward / rewind these channels while watching?

Some of the questions that come to my mind.

tsk1979 · 1st June 2009, 11:53

Per month charge... Well next bill will have 1599 instead of 1499 charge, thats all,
As for connection.
The telephone line connects to wifi router.
The wifi router has a dedicated port for IPTV where you put in a CAT-5 which goes into the STB.
So if you have 2 TVS, you will need two STBs, and maybe even 2 routers(though its should not be difficult to use another port of the same router)

Guite · 14th December 2009, 22:07

Slightly old thread, but might just as well turn it into the Airtel IPTV thread. I used to have the Airtel 999 plan with internet speed of 384 kbps. Some pushy sales fellow kept on offering us the IPTV upgrade with no change in plan and speed, only one time payment for activation/installation. I had specifically asked about the internet speed and he said no change. I did not bother to cross check. Now that it is installed, I am told by the installation guy that my speed will now be 256 kbps. It is indeed slower than before. I feel so cheated. Now if I want same speed as before I will have to pay Rs.300 more (as per Airtel website). I hope my experience makes others more careful!

tsk1979 · 15th December 2009, 10:37

Same here. That was introductory offer. Now you have to pay 200 more for same speed.
For example, 1Mbps night 512kbps day plan is 1299, but on IPTV its 1499

Ketan · 15th December 2009, 10:46

^I'm on that same broadband plan. Waiting for Airtel to start IPTV in Bangalore.
Any news on they adding new locations apart from Delhi and NCR?

rajakumar · 16th December 2009, 10:44

It is available in bangalore. One of my peer has an Airtel IPTV connection at ORR - KR Puram area.

Ketan · 16th December 2009, 10:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by rajakumar

It is available in bangalore. One of my peer has an Airtel IPTV connection at ORR - KR Puram area.

Are you sure!

I dont see the availability in Bangalore. If they are doing beta testing I may be interested.

Could you please check with you friends on user experience and how did he get it? If your friend has good experience, I shall go ahead with that.
Let me know if you find some more information from your friend on whom to contact and so on (I asked airtel a few days back and they said its not yet available in Bangalore).

Ketan · 4th January 2010, 01:38

I called up Airtel, intially they were not sure whether DTH or broadband services will answer this query! but the final answer I got was its not yet arrived in Bangalore, they dont know when is it going to happen.

21st May 2009, 08:41	#16
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,726 Thanked: 23,058 Times View My Garage	Resolved! I tried calling up nodal office, but nobody was picking up the phone which was coming constantly busy. So I called up 121 and asked to escalate my complaint. Soon after, multiple calls came apologizing for the delay, and at 6pm as asked, the engineers came in. Finally I have IPTV. And the best part is 7 days time shift TV for 35 channels
	() Thanks

24th May 2009, 12:55	#17
Ketan Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,005 Thanked: 449 Times View My Garage	Hi Tsk, How's the IPTV experiance going on! I have read lots of complaints about the PQ and the way they are streaming the media. Are you experiancing the similar issues and realized the truemeaning of impatient yet!! A brief review of the PQ and service would be of great help! Does anyone know if Airtel IPTV is available in Bangalore.
	() Thanks

24th May 2009, 14:29	#18
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,726 Thanked: 23,058 Times View My Garage	The Picture Quality is okay. Nothing exceptional, as good as the other options in the market. The time shift TV is a boon. However, alls not rosy. Last night while watching a long program, the channel shifted on its own. With the fast forward feature we could come back to the same place we were watching but this happened multiple times. I don't know whether its a set top box issue, or a server side issue. Tomorrow I will speak to the engineers. Another annoying thing is that if you switch off the STB, and power goes after that, when power comes, the STB automatically turns itself on.
	() Thanks

25th May 2009, 14:39	#19
esteem_lover Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Madras/Py Posts: 7,556 Thanked: 507 Times View My Garage	Do they have all the pay channels ? HBO/Pix/Star Movies/Sports etc ?
	() Thanks

25th May 2009, 14:57	#20
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,726 Thanked: 23,058 Times View My Garage	Yes all movies and entertainment channels are there. I am not sure how many sports channels are there as I hardly watch any sports channels! However IPL was coming as they have sony. I think complete channel list is on the website
	() Thanks

1st June 2009, 10:36	#21
Ketan Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,005 Thanked: 449 Times View My Garage	I have heard Airtel IPTV is coming to Bangalore and Chennai in another month or so. Not from an official source though. Can someone compare the Audio and Video quality of Airtel IPTV with TataSky or Airtel Digital TV? I'm not sure if its okay to compromise with some initial issues that Airtel IPTV is going to face considering the long term advantage when it starts performing well and you have some good HD channels to watch and some good HD movies available on demand!!!! There is one provider in Bangalore I guess its ACT TV or something whos giving IPTV services at the moment (selected areas only) with a good STB that supports streaming internet media like youtube and so.. Hoping to see those features with Airtel soon, if thats going to be the future, we may not need some of the PCH features just a normal NMT would do.
	() Thanks

1st June 2009, 10:52	#22
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,726 Thanked: 23,058 Times View My Garage	From what I have seen in shops, most Dish TV services(except for Sun TV) do not have HD signal. So quality of TV will be similar. In future maybe when more bandwidth is available, airtel can perhaps offer IP HDTV. The current set top box does not have HDMI, however there is a plastic HDMI shaped slot cover at the back of the box which means in future revisions HDMI may be added. Most probably I suspect the board of the STB has HDMI capability, but its not gotten out to the port in this market. Usually companies make same boards for different versions of products, and depending upon market differentiation, they can choose to take out the signals to a port or not.
	() Thanks

1st June 2009, 11:39	#23
WanderNomad BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Delhi Posts: 271 Thanked: 11 Times	Hey Tanveer - did you get the per month charge issue resolved? Does it work as a Wifi router? How is it connected - through a normal telephone cable? What if I want to connect two TVs then do I need two boxes, for these 35 channels can you play anything of last one week, can you fast forward / rewind these channels while watching? Some of the questions that come to my mind.
	() Thanks

1st June 2009, 11:53	#24
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,726 Thanked: 23,058 Times View My Garage	Per month charge... Well next bill will have 1599 instead of 1499 charge, thats all, As for connection. The telephone line connects to wifi router. The wifi router has a dedicated port for IPTV where you put in a CAT-5 which goes into the STB. So if you have 2 TVS, you will need two STBs, and maybe even 2 routers(though its should not be difficult to use another port of the same router)
	() Thanks

14th December 2009, 22:07	#25
Guite BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: NCR Posts: 735 Thanked: 635 Times	Slightly old thread, but might just as well turn it into the Airtel IPTV thread. I used to have the Airtel 999 plan with internet speed of 384 kbps. Some pushy sales fellow kept on offering us the IPTV upgrade with no change in plan and speed, only one time payment for activation/installation. I had specifically asked about the internet speed and he said no change. I did not bother to cross check. Now that it is installed, I am told by the installation guy that my speed will now be 256 kbps. It is indeed slower than before. I feel so cheated. Now if I want same speed as before I will have to pay Rs.300 more (as per Airtel website). I hope my experience makes others more careful!
	() Thanks

15th December 2009, 10:37	#26
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,726 Thanked: 23,058 Times View My Garage	Same here. That was introductory offer. Now you have to pay 200 more for same speed. For example, 1Mbps night 512kbps day plan is 1299, but on IPTV its 1499
	() Thanks

15th December 2009, 10:46	#27
Ketan Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,005 Thanked: 449 Times View My Garage	^I'm on that same broadband plan. Waiting for Airtel to start IPTV in Bangalore. Any news on they adding new locations apart from Delhi and NCR?
	() Thanks

16th December 2009, 10:44	#28
rajakumar BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 201 Thanked: 32 Times	It is available in bangalore. One of my peer has an Airtel IPTV connection at ORR - KR Puram area.
	() Thanks

4th January 2010, 01:38	#30
Ketan Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,005 Thanked: 449 Times View My Garage	I called up Airtel, intially they were not sure whether DTH or broadband services will answer this query! but the final answer I got was its not yet arrived in Bangalore, they dont know when is it going to happen.
	() Thanks