Tata Sky is a basic set-top-box offering DVD quality picture and CD quality sound along with new age

interactive services TATA Sky is a direct broadcast satellite television provider in India, using MPEG-2 andMPEG-4 digital compression technology, transmitting using INSAT 4A at 83.0E. Incorporated in 2004, Tata Sky is a JV between the TATA Group and STAR. Tata Sky DTH endeavours to offer Indian viewers a worldclass television viewing experience through its satellite television service. Incorporated in 2004, Tata Sky is a JV between the TATA Group and STAR. Tata Sky DTH endeavours to offer Indian viewers a world-class television viewing experience through its satellite television service.

1.

Pricing Strategy Account Recharge

Online Recharge-

Recharge available credit card, debit card or a net banking account with select banks. (Min. Rs 100; Max. Rs 30,000)

Voucher Recharge-

These are similar to mobile phone prepaid vouchers and are available in multiple denominations.

Other way to Recharge-

-Recharge using the Tata Sky helpline, Call the Tata Sky helpline, select the 'Recharge' option and use Pay by Credit Card option. -Recharge using your mobile, you can recharge using your mobile with the Atom mobile application, Vodafone M Shop or Oxicash e-wallet. -Auto Debit, By using this facility, you authorize Tata Sky to debit your bank account/credit card for a fixed amount of Rs 500 each time your Tata Sky account balance reaches Rs 200. -Cheque payment, Simply write a cheque in favour of 'Tata Sky Ltd.' and drop it at the Skypak drop box in your area. Remember to write your Subscriber ID & mobile number on the reverse of the cheque. -Recharge through your local dealer, Most Tata Sky dealers can help you recharge your account. They could either hand over Recharge Vouchers to you or make payments through a simple pinless and paperless transaction. 2. Products/Packages offered (Channels, interactive services, movies) MPEG 2,

South Sports (73 Channels | Monthly: Rs 155 , Semi-Annual: Rs 878 , Annual: Rs 1705) DHAMMAL MIX (81 Channels | Monthly: Rs 200 , Semi-Annual: Rs 1130 , Annual: Rs 2200) DHAMMAL INDIA CRICKET (82 Channels Monthly: Rs 225 , Semi-Annual: Rs 1275 , Annual: Rs 2475) SUPER SPORTS KIDS (101 Channels | Monthly: Rs 280 , Semi-Annual: Rs 1585 , Annual: Rs 3080) GRAND SPORTS (133 Channels | Monthly: Rs 410 , Semi-Annual: Rs 2320 , Annual: Rs 4510)

MPEG4 (SD)

MEGA SD (197 Channels | Semi-Annual: Rs 3000 , Annual: Rs 5500) MEGA SOUTH SD (214 Channels | Semi-Annual: Rs 3300 , Annual: Rs 6000)

MPEG4 (HD)

MEGA SOUTH HD (225 Channels | Semi-Annual: Rs 3750 , Annual: Rs 6900 , Biennial: Rs 13800) MEGA HD (208 Channels | Semi-Annual: Rs 3450 , Annual: Rs 6400)

In October 2011, Tata Sky removed most of the Malayalam Channels from its list. Even customers who subscribed to their South Jumbo Package are provided only channels from Sungroup (Surya and Kiran) and Asianet (Asianet and Asianet News). Channels dropped are Kairali TV, Amritha TV and DD4 Malayalam. Tata sky has failed to even add Asianet plus channel from its associated Asianet network into its bouquet of offerings. Many suscribers have complained to TRAI alleging discrimination by Tata Sky towards the language. Active Channels DD Girnar DD Kashir DD Punjabi DD Saptagiri NDTV Hindu Tata Sky Active Services

Active Cooking Active Darshan (Shirdi Saibaba/ISKCON/Siddhi Vinayak/Kashi Vishwanath/SVBC / Shrradha / Somnath) Active Doordarshan (DD Gujarati/DD Saptagiri/ DD Punjabi/ DD Kashir) Active English Active Games Active Learning Active Mall Active Music Active Stories Active Wizkids 3. History of the company

Is a joint venture between the Tata Sons, that owns 80% and STAR India that owns a 20% stake. Tata Sky was incorporated in 2004 but was launched only in 2006. It currently offers close to 196 channels (as of December 2010) and some interactive ones; this count includes some numbers of HD channels offered by Tata Sky (as Tata Sky-HD) and interactive services also. In March 2010, Sun Microsystems partnered with Tata Sky to provide IT Infrastructure solutions and support for the launch of the company's direct-to-home (DTH) television. The company uses the Sky brand owned by British Sky Broadcasting.

In October 2008, Tata Sky announced launching of DVR service Tata Sky+ which allowed 90 hours of recording in a MPEG-4 compatible Set Top Box. The remote is provided with playback control keys and is being sold with special offers for existing suscribers. After 2011, TATA Sky+ started selling only HD Version of TATA Sky+ know as TATA Sky+ HD. In 2008, Singapore-based Temasek Holdings picked up 10% stake in Tata Sky from the Tata Group. This has diluted Tata's stake in the venture to 75%. STARs parent company, News Corporation, owns an International group of DTH businesses that include Sky Italia in Italy and Foxtel in Australia. 4. Main competition Its primary competitors are cable television and other DTH service providersAirtel digital TV, Reliance Big TV, DD Direct+, Dish TV, Sun Direct, and Videocon D2H The competition in the market place is severe. Apart from Dish TV and Sun Direct, there are Airtel Bharti DTH, Videocon [ Get Quote ] d2h and Reliance [ Get Quote ] BigTV competing for the pie. Dish TV is the market leader with its own suite of value-added services, Sun Direct is a price warrior with a strong brand equity in the South, and Airtel is riding its leadership in the telecom space to expand. Videocon d2h is trying something new by bundling the set-top box in the television. It is banking on its strengths in television manufacturing and distribution. Like Airtel, Tata Sky wants to leverage the distribution of Tata Teleservices [ Get Quote ] to reach its hardware and recharge coupons to customers. Tata Sky also has more than 1,500 exclusive franchise outlets with a service called BOB, or boy on bicycle, for home deliveries. The company spent almost six months to get it right to fine tune the scheme because it wanted it to be profitable for the boys who are hired by its franchisees. Fine-tuning its customer service is a must if the company wants sticky price-agnostic customers. Tata Sky has three different call centres at Pune, Mohali and Hyderabad with almost 1,300 people. Doesn't it make more sense to have a single call centre because efficiencies would be better? "We intentionally went with different regions because we didn't want a Punjabi speaking in a Marathi accent or vice versa," says Kaushik. "Typically, TV is consumed by the elderly or housewives who are more comfortable in their own dialect rather than English. This makes the consumer comfortable." According to Tata Sky, Nielsen has said that customer satisfaction is higher for it than any other company in DTH. But that was in 2007. Rivals surely have gotten wiser since then. For example, Dish TV knows the value of retaining subscribers rather than just acquiring new ones. "For every acquisition, we have a retention scheme. Over the last one year, we have had four different recharge offers for our existing consumers such as giving away Rs 300 worth of content free for every recharge of Rs 300. There would be no point in acquiring subscribers if we can't hold our existing flock together," says Kapoor of Dish TV. He should know because Dish TV remains the largest player with over 6.8 million subscribers.

For Tata Sky, Mehra claims, ease of recharge is a differentiator. "We were the first to start a pre-paid service. As we speak, only 15 per cent of our recharges are actually vouchers that you have to buy from a shop; 85 per cent of it happens over SMS, the web or call centres which are even equipped with voice-recognition software. These are convenient options for the customers. We have customised our services to the way our subscribers want them," he adds. "We are also very serious about tracking customer service. Every Monday morning, people report to me what is the percentage of field repairs that were addressed within 24, 48 and 72 hours. What is the percentage of installations," says Kaushik. "Last week, we made more than 82 per cent of installations within 24 hours anywhere in the country," he adds. Will Tata Sky's bet on value-added services for higher paying consumers pay off or is it barking up the wrong tree? 5. HD and DVR

Tata Sky HD Tata Sky HD was launched on June 14, 2010 and has channels in their native resolution of 1080i or 720p. The STB is compatible with 5.1 CH surround sound as well. The service currently offers HD channels - National Geographic Channel HD, Discovery HD World,STAR Movies HD, STAR Plus HD, STAR Cricket HD, STAR World HD, STAR Gold HD, ESPN HD, Zee TV HD, Sony HD,Colors HD. Tata Sky+ HD Tata Sky have launched their HD DVR Set Top Box which comes with a 500 GB Hard Disk. However, Almost 120 GB is reserved for future services like VOD leaving about 425 hours of SD recording or 380 GB that is actually usable by customers. This is still the highest capacity recorder in the Indian Market as of May 2012. Video on Demand On December 25, 2011 Tata Sky launched Video on Demand(Vod) services for their Tata Sky+ HD settop boxes. Tata Sky VoD service will include Catch Up TV and VoD library of movies & TV concerts for subscribers for download but this requires a separate broadband connection to be plugged into the STB.

A few links related to DTH and Tata Sky: http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/dth-firms-cable-operators-make-windfall-inmetros/491546/ http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?autono=490930

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/media/entertainment/media/rediffusion-yr-brand-asset-valuator-digitization-law-may-upset-dthrankings/articleshow/17027188.cms http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/ipos/fpos/rights-issues/tata-sky-plans-to-raise-rs2000-crore-via-ipo/articleshow/17032082.cms