A recent report revealed that more than 20 million subscribers have opted out of the DTH platform in favour of watching content on OTT apps. The tariff regime by Trai has changed the entire TV viewing scenario in India. Right after the new mandate came into effect, DTH operators removed the good-old long-term channel packs which they used to offer at discounted prices. However, to retain the customer base, the same operators came up with long-term recharge options which even ship with extra service at no additional cost. D2h and Dish TV are leading the pack by rolling out back to back recharge offers to the customers. In the same process, both the operators have a new offer under which customers can avail up to 60 days of extra service on recharging the same channel for ten months straight. Tata Sky is also part of this list because the company is also providing one month of free service to the customers under a new offer.
Long Term Plans and the Clash After National Tariff Order
When the new Trai tariff regime went into effect, it did not contain any regulation regarding the long-term packs and how they were to be changed when the broadcasting and DTH industry was changing. The new national tariff order changed how the channels were priced, how the bills were issued to subscribers, and it brought very weighted changes in the industry. In such a case, the previously introduced long-term plans could not stay. Such a scenario would have also affected the DTH service providers and eaten into their pockets too. Therefore, it was decided that all the subscribers of the previous long-term plans be moved to the new Trai tariff regime based channel packs. This also opened up doors for new long-term offers. Here are those:
Tata Sky Cashback Offer
Tata Sky is offering a unique form of cashback offer to its subscribers which is actually a long term offer in disguise. The cashback offer requires the subscribers to make a recharge for 12 months upfront, after which they will be able to receive a cashback from the company into their Tata Sky account equating to the subscription value of one month. So essentially, the Tata Sky subscribers will be able to enjoy an extra month of service while paying for 12 months. Previously, under the Flexi Annual plan, the cashback used to be credited at the end of the 12 months, but now under the cashback offer, the subscribers will receive the extra cashback within 48 hours only.
Dish TV and D2h Long-Term Recharge Offers
Dish TV and D2h are now running a similar offer to their customers and providing up to 60 days or two months of service for free. Earlier, D2h offered a whopping 150 days of extra service if a customer recharges a channel pack for 44 months, something that is a risky decision to consider. Now, both the operators have minimised the recharge duration and also came out with new benefits on long-term recharges.
Dish TV India (D2h is also part of the same company) has three long-term recharge offers right now. If a customer recharges for three months upfront, then the company will provide 14 days of extra service for free. Similarly, if a customer performs the same channel pack recharge for six or 12 months, then the extra days free would be 30 days and 60 days, respectively.
Earlier, when these two DTH operators used to provide long-term recharges of up to 44 months, customers used to be a in a bothered position as they will be locked into a single DTH operator for close to four years. However, under this new offer, they can surely consider recharging for one-year or even the six-month recharge offer seems decent. These offers from Dish TV and D2h are valid until November 15.
