Airtel arm launches internet TV

 New Delhi, Apr 12:  Direct-to-Home service provider Airtel Digital TV, part of the Bharti Airtel group, has launched its hybrid set-top box called Airtel Internet TV, in a bid to offer consumers a seamless entertainment experience that combines online and linear television content.

The company is especially hoping to woo non-smart TV consumers in the top cities, who largely depend on smaller screens of their smart devices to watch online content. For new users, Airtel Internet TV is available at price points of ₹4,999, with three months DTH subscription and ₹7,999 with one-year subscription.

The company has also rolled out bundled offers for its existing broadband and DTH subscribers at ₹3,999.

Powered by Android TV, the hybrid set-top box is 4k content ready, and comes pre-loaded with various content apps such as Netflix, YouTube, Google Play Music, Google Play Games and Airtel Movies among others. It comes with in-built Chromecast and requires a broadband connection.

Asked if this will help the DTH service provider to offer a higher margins product, Sunil Taldar, CEO and Director-DTH, Bharti Airtel, told BusinessLine, “Our primary objective is to cater to an unmet consumer need. To be able to watch online content on the bigger TV screen, consumers want a better, seamless and affordable experience. We are the first player to cater to this demand with a hybrid set-top box that bridges the gap between the online and offline worlds with a single device.”

Taldar pointed out that consumers will not need to upgrade to a smart TV as this hybrid STB is compatible with any TV enabling users to switch between online and linear TV content.

In talks with Amazon Prime

“The crucial aspect is this gives us a fantastic platform for future innovation and integration. We are already in discussions with Amazon Prime. We are also talking to other OTT players,” he added.

The hybrid STB will be exclusively available on Amazon for a month after which it will be made available across offline stores. “Growing broadband penetration is driving the popularity of online content particularly in urban homes. So we will initially be looking to launch Airtel Internet TV in the top 20 cities before expanding it further,” he added.

 Experts believe the company is expected to face stiff competition as other companies too are building capabilities to launch similar products this year. As of December 2016, Airtel Digital TV had over 12.5 million subscribers.
(This article was published on April 12, 2017)

Resource: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/other-gadgets/airtel-digital-launches-androidenabled-internet-tv/article9633104.ece

Make your TVs smart with new set top boxes from Videocon D2H, Tata Sky, Jio

Smart set-top boxes with pre-loaded popular apps such as YouTube and Netflix are set to turn all idiot boxes into intelligent televisions.

Cable operators and direct-to-home service providers such as Videocon D2H, TataSky and Airtel are set to launch new set-top boxes (STB) by May — a move that will take away the thunder of smart TVs or streaming devices such as Google Chromecast or Apple TV. These will be priced at Rs 3,500, roughly.

“The new set-top boxes from our stable, also called connected box, have the ability to connect to the internet either via WiFi or through a dongle attached to its USB hub,” a Videocon D2H spokesperson said on Monday.

The STBs will have social media, music and content streaming apps. And games, too.

“The new connected box will eliminate the need for users to buy a new smart TV or a streaming device such as Google Chromecast and Apple TV. The STB will provide both linear programming as well the option to stream on-demand video and audio,” he said.

STB users can upgrade by paying Rs 1,000 and returning their old boxes.

Videocon D2H said their box has news and social apps such as NDTV, Facebook, and Twitter, and is in the process of adding support for Netflix, Voot, hotstar and Amazon Prime Video.

Netflix and Videocon D2H signed a deal in the first week of March to let its clients gain access movies and titles using the connected box. Airtel too is eyeing a slice of the new pie.

“We are working on a new hybrid STB that will enable users to watch TV as well as stream content,” an Airtel source said.

Airtel’s new STB is expected to corner the market-share of smart TV-makers and streaming devices, according to industry experts.

Videocon’s launch is likely to prompt players such as DEN network and Siti Cable to come out with their products soon.

“Reliance Jio is pushing for its Android-based STB, which will come with Jio apps,” said Neil Shah, a partner at Counterpoint Research. The rise in home broadband and free data, along with app-based remote controls, will give rise to a new digitised STB penetration.”

Of about 10 million flat panel TVs shipped to India, nearly five million units are smart TVs, Counterpoint data show. The smart TV market size in India is around ?24,000 crore.

However, Faisal Kawoosa, analyst at CyberMedia Research, was sceptical about the all-in-one STBs


Users don’t like to be bound by the manufacturer with a specific set of apps and we have seen this with smartphones. The new STBs’ success may be limited as these will have to rely on pre-installed apps in contrast to access to a smart app store in a smart TV.”

Tata Sky, which was the first DTH that tried to digitise STBs, is working on a concept called Webapps.

“Tata Sky+ customers are able to use apps while watching TV,” said Harit Nagpal, the company’s MD and CEO.

“Tata Sky is providing customers an additional interface to access information and games from popular apps through their TV,?apart from conventional handheld devices.” Tata Sky already has Sky+ Transfer STBS where apps come for free. The company said that its digitised STBs will not need to be purchased separately and all updates to the Transfer box will be provided by the company for free.

Smart TV makers are unfazed by the new product.

“Customers who need to buy a smart TV go with the inbuilt smart TV from the manufacturer ... people tend to use these devices (STBs) to their existing non-smart TVs,” said Neeraj Bahl, head of consumer electronic business of Panasonic India.

VU Technologies declined to comment on the matter, while Google, Samsung and LG had not responded to HT’s query at the time of going to press.

Resource:http://www.hindustantimes.com/tech/make-your-dumb-tv-smarter-dth-operators-to-bring-smart-set-top-boxes-soon/story-KGZNKg3LGqs3Sq59UFhHjK.html

After 4G, Now, Reliance Jio to Launch DTH Set Top Boxes in India & Here’re The Details

Reliance Jio DTH set top box. You read that right. After disrupting the telecom market of Indi, now Reliance plans the same for DTH set top boxes for TV channels in the country.

With the influx of fastest wireless internet access system 4G into the Indian IT sector, all telecom players have gone haywire to stay ahead in the race of providing best services to its users. Some are slashing down their internet tariff plans and some are giving free calling with unlimited internet data pack for a year.

Similarly, the telecom giant Reliance Jio that has swept away the 4G internet user market in a jiffy is now planning to enter the DTH sector soon. Reliance will come up with the Jio DTH set top boxes for digital satellite services,  and the company is ready to release it in the market in April.


The news sprung like a fire when an image of the Jio’s set top box was leaked out in public via social media. The picture shows a blue colored box with ‘Jio digital life’ written on it along with a black coloured set top box.


Reliance Jio DTH Features

    Jio DTH services will be available on Android setup box or Apple setup box for streaming of TV channels.

    Jio DTH service plans will start from Rs 180 per month.

    The Jio DTH setup box will be backed by Jio broadband connection with streaming speed of 1 Gbps.

    As a welcome offer, Reliance Jio is likely to offer 90 days free Jio DTH service to its users.

    Reliance Jio DTH is likely to have more than 300 TV channels along with 50 plus HD channels.

More about Reliance Jio DTH



The price for subscribing to Jio DTH is still not announced officially but as Airtel DTH TV is Rs 1390 (approx), Tata sky is for Rs 1300 (approx), Videocon D2H is for Rs 1000 (approx), it is likely that Reliance Jio will keep its DTH services lower than or at par with others.

Resource : https://chandigarhmetro.com/reliance-jio-dth-india-set-top-tv-box-launch/

JIO to offer DTH Services soon

The DTH operators have started worrying since there was a news that was making rounds last evening. It is none other than the plans of JIO looking to introduce DTH services any time soon. The rumours claims that the company is doing the trial tests in few parts of Mumbai and planning to launch it once it is successful and complete.

The leak also showed the set-top box with JIO. Though this looks similar like that of other ones, the launch offer and plans will make others run for their money. Yes. It is believed that the company may offer the set top box at a nominal price and may also offer an initial 3-6 months of free viewership.

It is also expected to fix the plan rates at Rs.185 per month where as the competitors plans are priced as high as Rs.450. Reliance has not confirmed any of the news till date but we would come to know about all these in the coming days.

Resource :http://www.newspatrolling.com/jio-to-offer-dth-services-soon/

Reliance Jio DTH service likely to be launched soon; plan to start at Rs 180 per month

New Delhi: Reliance Jio will soon make its entry into the digital satellite service. The Jio DTH set top box is reportedly ready and the company is all set to launch it in April.

Reports say that Jio DTH services can be availed using an Android setup box or Apple setup box to stream any TV channel on your TV with plans starting as low as Rs 180 per month.

The Jio DTH setup box will be powered through Jio broadband connection which will give a streaming speed up to 1 Gbps.

Reports also say that customers can expect Jio to offer 90 days of free Jio DTH service as a welcome offer promotion.

Jio’s set top box images have already leaked, amidst reports that it will have more than 300 TV channels and more than 50 HD channels.

Resource :http://zeenews.india.com/technology/reliance-jio-dth-service-likely-to-be-launched-soon-plan-to-start-at-rs-180-per-month-1992694.html

Reliance Jio might launch its own set of DTH and IPTV services: reports

A set of unconfirmed leaks and reports suggests that Reliance Jio might soon enter the broadcast segment with its own set of DTH and IPTV services. A BGR report claims that Jio might launch its own DTH/IPTV service with more than 350 channels, along with hardware features like voice control and a software feature that allows users to watch TV shows from the past 7 days. When contacted by MediaNama, a Jio spokesperson declined to confirm or deny these plans.

Leaked images from a blog named CandyTech shows that the set-top box has a built in HDMI port for HDTV output, an RJ45 port meant for Internet connectivity (IPTV), and an USB port in the back and in the front side of the set-top-box, possibly for media streaming using flash drives. The box also has coaxial output and a Cable Input for receiving TV signals via a cableTV connection.

Competition

Jio will look to compete with existing players like Airtel which offers IPTV services starting at Rs 1380 per month, Hathway which provides 290 HD channels for Rs 550 per month and ACT Digital which provides 450 channels for Rs 500 per month. RCOM also provides IPTV services, although the company had earlier de-merged its IPTV entity from its core DTH business.

Other rumored launches from Jio

Apart from this, Jio is also expected to come out with:
–IoT devices: ‘Jio Car Connect’, an OBD device leaked last year, allows users to plug it in into a car’s OBD module to record and track engine and other vehicular related data.
–Broadband: The telco has also been testing its fiber Internet service in Mumbai with a select number of users. The service dubbed “Jio Fiber” claims to provide speeds up 100 Mbps, according to this BGR report.
–Laptop: A PhoneRadar report also claimed that Reliance might be working on its own branded laptop with an inbuilt hardware feature that supports 4G SIMs.
4G feature phone: Reliance-owned mobile brand LYF is also expected to launch its own 4G supported feature phone, which is rumoured to be priced as low as Rs 1,000.

Jio retains 72M paid subscribers

Elsewhere in its core telecom segment, Jio was able to retain 72 million users after initially garnering over 100 million users via promotions and free services. These users have signed up for the telco’s paid package named Jio prime, which claims to offer access to special recharges, premium content and deals that normal Jio users won’t have access to.  More on this here.

Resource :https://www.medianama.com/2017/04/223-reliance-jio-iptv-dth/

After telecom and broadband, Reliance Jio all set to take on DTH services?

 A bunch of image leaks of a set top box with Reliance Jio branding on it has recently surfaced on websites like Candytech and DTH forums.

After taking the telecom operator by storm, Reliance Jio might have its try in DTH services as well. A bunch of image leaks of a set top box with Reliance Jio branding on it has recently surfaced on websites like Candytech and DTH forums. The image shows a normal looking set top box with Jio branding and a ‘not for sale’ sign which implies that the company is, in fact, testing the product, as of now.

At the back, the set top box appears to have a cable connector port, a USB port, an HDMI port, an audio video port and also an Ehternet port which would allow one to connect its broadband cable to the set top box for internet powered DTH services. There is also a USB port at the front making enabling users simply plug in their USB drives. Coming to broadband, Reliance Jio is also touted to be testing its broadband services - FTTH (fibre-to-the-home) and is likely to first introduce it in cities like Mumbai, Pune and Chennai. If you are not aware, the company recently acquired the wired internet provider ‘YOU Broadband’. Also, Jio is said to be in talks with Netflix, Amazon Prime to bring up exclusive content to Jio DTH services.

Reliance Jio has been a solid player in the telecom space ever since it was commercially launched last year in September. After giving away free services for almost over 6 months, Jio recently proposed Jio Prime membership which has now been extended till 15 April. Further, Reliance Jio has also introduced its new Summer Surprise offer which would give you free services for 3 months by recharging your Jio SIM for just one month for Rs 303 or more.

The telecom operator claims that it has transitioned 72 million subscribers to Prime already making it the “the largest migration from free to paid services in history in such a short period of time.” Reliance Jio, though, does face some issues regarding call drops, people seem to incline towards the infant player.

Resource :http://www.themobileindian.com/news/after-telecom-and-broadband-reliance-jio-all-set-to-take-on-dth-services-17197

Doordarshan’s revenue rises to Rs827.51 crore in FY17

Doordarshan got Rs318.06 crore from government advertisements and Rs157.59 crore from corporate ads during the year

Doordarshan, which operates 23 channels across the country, recorded the highest ever revenue from its free-to-air DTH platform DD Free Dish in 2016-17. Photo: Pradeep Gaur/Mint

New Delhi: State-run broadcaster Doordarshan on Monday said its net revenue rose to Rs827.51 crore in the year ended 31 March, surpassing its annual target of Rs800 crore.

The broadcaster got Rs318.06 crore from government advertisements and Rs157.59 crore from corporate ads during the year.

Doordarshan, owned by Prasar Bharati, had reported a net revenue of Rs755 crore in 2015-16. “We surpassed our target this time and the revenue is much higher as compared to last year. Our DTH (direct-to-home) revenue has seen a significant rise. We have also tried to cut down our expenditure,” said Supriya Sahu, director general at Doordarshan, adding that the broadcaster is in the process of re-evaluating its manpower requirements in a bid to pare costs.

The broadcaster, which operates 23 channels across the country, recorded the highest ever revenue from its free-to-air DTH platform DD Free Dish in 2016-17. DD Free Dish recorded a revenue of Rs264.17 crore in 2016-17, a 47% increase from a year ago. It had generated Rs180 crore from Free Dish in 2015-16.

DD Free Dish currently carries 80 channels, including Star India Pvt. Ltd’s Star Utsav and Sony Pictures Network’s Sony Pal. It also broadcasts news channels such as Aaj Tak, ABP News and News 24.

“The rise in our DTH revenue is a result of our expanded reach across the country. We had revised reserve prices in 2016 and have had very successful DTH slot auctions during the year,” Sahu added.

DD Free Dish has 22 million subscribers across India, show recent estimates from television viewership measurement agency Barc India.

Going forward, the broadcaster plans to add 24 new channels to DD Free Dish, taking the total channel count to 104. The platform is also planning to encrypt its free-to-air signals to secure the signals from being stolen by unauthorized operators.

The broadcaster is in the middle of a revamp to revive its viewership and finances. In 2017-18, Doordarshan expects to generate Rs100 crore from the prime-time programming slot auction that concluded in December 2016.

“We are revamping all the content on channels like DD National, DD Kashir and DD Sports. We are also curating content for our north-east channel, DD Arun Prabha. We expect the revenues to further go up this year,” Sahu said. 

The broadcaster is also planning to introduce new channels in kids, youth and music genres. “The overall approach is good. It is a good strategy to have a mix of Doordarshan’s own content as well as content from private producers. What Doordarshan is doing with Free Dish is outstanding. Free Dish is the largest DTH company and is only getting bigger,” said Ashish Pherwani, media and entertainment advisory leader at EY India.

Resource :http://www.livemint.com/Companies/3C9fKqrCNh9zNTGXXqoj0L/Doordarshans-revenue-rises-to-Rs82751-crore-in-FY17.html 

Reliance Jio could launch DTH services soon; Set-Top box images leaked online

Reliance Jio, the latest network service provider in India, seems to be preparing to disrupt the television sector in India.

Reliance Jio, the latest network service provider in India, seems to be preparing to disrupt the television sector in India. Now, after the telecom market, it appears that the home broadband market (fibre-to-the-home (FTTH)) too will face stiff competition. Reports had surfaced last month that Reliance Jio Infocomm (Jio) is working on such a service in cities like Mumbai, Pune and Chennai, while Vodafone India is also reportedly bent on entering the sector after acquiring wired internet provider YOU Broadband. However, there is no information on when Jio will roll out its service in India. Meanwhile, pictures of Jio’s set-top-boxes have surfaced online. In a leak on the websites Candytech and DTH Forum, we can see a retail box with the brand logo of Reliance Jio branding. But we cannot confirm whether the images on the website are an actual representation of the devices which may be launched.

Meanwhile, if Jio and Vodafone enter the $2-billion wired broadband market, it will challenge the dominance of BSNL and Bharti Airtel. These two control more than two-third of the space. According to a report in the TV channel ETNow, Jio may also partner with video streaming websites like Amazon Prime and Netflix. Jio has already partnered with Indian video streaming website Hotstar, which will enable users to view the platform from their set-top-boxes. The report also added that Jio may initially launch the DTH service with 300 channels and add more at a later stage.

According to the leak, the set-top-boxes, contain HDMI port, USB port, ethernet port, and other cable ports. There are no other details available on these boxes as of now. Reports also suggest the Jio may offer STB free service for a few months. With more and more people, especially in urban areas growing an appetite for internet streaming websites, it is likely that the wired broadband market will expand.

Also read | Another tariff war brewing among telcos: Home broadband market is the new battleground

Interestingly, in terms of market share of the total broadband (wired and wireless) services in the country as of December, Jio had already captured the apex spot with 30.56 percent market share in just 6 months of the announcement, followed by Airtel at 18.45 percent, Vodafone (14.83 percent). However, BSNL has slipped to the fifth spot with just 8.63 percent share. Vodafone already has fixed broadband operations in 17 markets in the world and boasts of 12.5 million customers.
Resource  :http://www.financialexpress.com/industry/technology/reliance-jio-could-launch-dth-services-soon-set-top-box-images-leaked-online/612818/

Reliance Jio IPTV Set Top Box With Official Packaging Leaked Online

After the recent Jio Summer Surprise for its Prime customers, Jio seems to be prepping to throw open its IPTV services soon. A number of leaked images of a Jio branded set top box has now leaked online. The images also show a blue colored box pack of the Jio IPTV set top box which makes the thing look even more legit.

It’s not clear if the set-top box is for Jio DTH or Jio IPTV, but the chances for DTH are bleak as there are no reports of Jio leasing transponders. Moreover, IPTV seems like a more logical fit considering Jio is an all-IP network.

Jio has gone on to disrupt the telecom market even since it launched early this year. While some analysts are skeptical about Reliance Jio’s freemium policy, there’s no doubt in saying that the upstart telecom brand has revolutionized the market by forcing competitors to step up their game. After telecom, Jio now plans to enter the IPTV market and take on the DTH players like DishTV, Tata Sky and others.

The leaked set top box comes in a rectangular design with a multitude of machine drilled hole at the top. These holes are possibly meant for dissipating the heat from the box. That aside, the Jio IPTV set top box has a range of connectivity options. Apart from the standard video and audio ports, the Jio IPTV set top box has an HDMI, two USB, and an RJ-45 port. Among these, one USB is located to the front of the box. Besides, the presence of an RJ-45 port signifies that the Jio IPTV set-top box can be connected to a modem if required. It also expected to come with UHD or 4K support.


It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time that images of a Jio IPTV set top box has leaked online. Just a few months back leaked images of a circular set-top box and a Jio branded remote had cropped up on the web. That box too came with a support for Ethernet and USB ports.

Jio IPTV service is yet to launch in any city, but the recent leak makes us believe that a possible launch is impending in the coming few months. It is expected that Jio will be kick starting its IPTV services in Mumbai first, before rolling out to other cities.

With that said, Jio’s entry into the IPTV market is expected to bring smiles to millions of consumers across the country. Provided Jio continues with its aggressive pricing, we can expect DTH operators to cut down their package pricing by at least 40-50%. Jio may also provide its IPTV set-top boxes for free to promote its services.

For the uninitiated, Jio is also working on its own Fiber FTTH Gigabit broadband services. The company has, in fact, starting testing its service with a few handpicked consumers in Pune. The Jio FTTH Gigabit broadband service is earmarked to launch in a total of 100 cities spread across India. It is expected to be announced somewhere in the middle of this year.

An earlier version of the story mentioned Jio DTH instead of Jio IPTV.
Resource: http://techpp.com/2017/04/02/reliance-jio-dth-set-top-box-official-packaging-leaked-online/