The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : DTH gains a foothold

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 15, 2006
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

DTH gains a foothold

DTH technology enables subscribers to receive television programmes directly from the satellite to their homes, without the traditional ground infrastructure or a middleman like the cable operator

The growing influence of digital technology in television broadcasting may finally see the end of many monopolies in cable television.

For consumers, the choice of Direct-to-Home (DTH) broadcasting has so far remained an expensive option. But the entry of new players can change the market forever.

For the first time, DTH operators are at an advantageous position to offer a better fare, price-wise, content-wise and technology-wise, to customers. With the imminent increase in cable television subscription rates, there has been a renewed interest among cable subscribers in what DTH service has to offer.

One of the dealers in satellite broadcasting equipment in the city says that his office has been inundated with enquiries.

Till now, Dish TV, the DTH service from Zee TV was the only player in the market, offering both free-to-air and pay channels. DD Direct, the DTH service of Doordarshan, offers only free-to-air channels. Tata Sky, the joint venture of Tatas and Murdoch's Star Group, was launched last month.

More DTH platforms, including that of Sun TV and the Anil Ambani Group, can soon be in the offing.

With the entry of more new players in the DTH service, the prices are sure to drop by at least 50 per cent, it is pointed out. The prices of set-top boxes have already dropped. The installation package, which includes a Ku band dish antenna, Ku band LNB (low noise block) digital satellite receiver, decoder, smart card, viewing card and activation charges, costs about Rs. 3,000 now, while the same cost about Rs. 8000 two years ago.

In simplest terms, the DTH technology enables subscribers to receive television programmes directly from the satellite to their homes, without the traditional ground infrastructure or a middleman like the cable operator.

Currently, most television channels are being aired on the low frequency C band. On the DTH platform, channels are aired on the high-frequency Ku band and require only a very small dish antenna, measuring no more than 60 cm to 1 m in diameter. The advantages are pictures of digital quality and stereophonic sound.

With the DTH technology, the broadcaster can beam his programme content to the geostationary satellite using a dish antenna. Digital technology is used to compress and code these signals which are bounced back on the Ku band, to the small dish antenna placed on the subscriber's roof top.

This encrypted transmission is directed to a decoder or set-top box at the subscriber's end which unscrambles these signals before it reaches the television set.

The subscribers access the service by using a `smart card' or a microchip-enabled viewing card, which acts as a key.

One of the main disadvantages of DTH service so far has been the fact that not all prime channels, especially those offered by Star and Sony's One Alliance, were available for viewers. But Dish TV has sorted out its issues with all broadcasters and at present, except for the channels in the Sun package, some 140 channels are available on this platform.

Tata Sky has at present all free channels, including Doordarshan's bouquet, Kairali, Asianet and all channels of Star and Sony group. Negotiations are on with other broadcasters and in another six months, Tata Sky is expected to offer more channels.

All DTH service operators are also offering various monthly subscription packages, ranging from Rs. 60 to Rs. 300. Apart from enjoying the benefits of a superior technology, consumers can also be rid of problems such as blacking out of channels by cable monopolies.

C. Maya

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