There is no doubt that the telecom industry in India has been going through a lot of changes in recent times. However, that is not the only industry which is being affected by the change in the regulations brought by the sector regulator, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai). The series of events which were kickstarted by the introduction of the new Trai tariff regime, continue to create ripples in the industry even now. This encompasses both the DTH and the cable TV industry. In India, the subscribers of TV services, opt for either of these two options, the cable TV operators or the DTH operators. Most opt for the latter because of the reputation of the DTH services and the kind of quality and experience they deliver, which are touted to be good. However, even cable TV subscribers are not in any fewer numbers. There are a substantial number of subscribers on the cable TV platforms as well.
Why Not Migrate from the Cable TV Services?
Now for the subscribers of cable TV services, it is obvious to feel the want to upgrade to DTH services. This could be because of a number of reasons including the many offers which the DTH operators are shipping for their new and existing customers. In order to lure more and more subscribers, there are new channel pack discounts, and more reasons for the new customers to migrate. Or, it could simply be because of service quality reasons. But, we are here to tell you that no matter what the temptation is, it could really be in your best interest to stick to a cable TV connection in case you are enjoying one. We say this not merely because you will save the hassle of migrating to a different platform, but also because you could be saving a lot on your monthly connection.
Discount of Rs 40 on Additional 50 SD Channels
Now the first reason to not migrate to a DTH connection is the difference in pricing when it comes to additional channels. While the DTH customers will enjoy 150 channels on their Set-Top Box for Rs 170, which would include Rs 130 base NCF and Rs 40 extra NCF, the subscribers of cable TV connection would only have to pay Rs 130 for a total of 150 SD channels. This is Rs 40 worth of benefit for the cable TV subscribers, right off the bat which they would save as compared to the DTH operators. This discount has been brought by AIDCF (All India Digital Cable Federation). This exempts the cable TV subscribers to pay the Rs 20 additional slab NCF for 25 channels.
Secondly, there is also the question of flexibility when it comes to cable TV subscribers. For example, if you would like to enjoy Reliance Jio’s JioFiber service in a full-fledged manner along with the Jio 4K Set-Top Box, then cable TV would be your only option. While DTH platforms ask for exclusivity, a cable TV connection would require you to experiment and compliment your cable TV services with other auxiliary services as well.
Broadcaster Discount and Other Reasons
Not only this, but some of the benefits which the DTH subscribers enjoy have also been brought forth for the consumers by the cable TV operators as well. This ensures that the cable TV subscribers stand at part of the DTH subscribers, if not equal. For example, AIDCF has also announced that popular channels from the broadcasters like Star India, SPNI (Sony Pictures Networks India), Viacom18 and more would be available for a discount for the cable TV subscribers as well. This means that many popular channels would be available for Rs 12 per month, down from its price of Rs 19 per month. DEN Networks and Hathway were the first operators to implement this change among all cable TV operators. Overall, these are the reasons why you should ponder upon the idea of sticking with your cable TV connection. In case you are using 150+ SD channels, and your subscription includes some of the popular channels, then you could be easily saving upwards of Rs 50 per month on your cable TV connection.
