DTH service: Painful experience with Tata Sky

I am here publishing an article (letters of communication with TRAI and TATA SKY) by a reader (Ashok Venugopal (ashokk.venugopal@gmail.com) from Tamilnadu. Reader shared his painful experience with Tata SKY DTH service. DTH should become more active like Ashok to obtain better customer service from service providers. DTH operators are spending more time and money on ads in stead of providing proper customer service. They are not understanding the impact of “word of mouth” publicity.

DTH operators should concentrate more on service when there is no price differentiation. Will Tata Sky go become Tata Indicom for Tatas due to this poor service?

Read his experience through letters of communication with TRAI and Tata Sky:

To,

THE CHAIRMAN,
THE TELECOM REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF INDIA (TRAI),
Mahanagar Doorsanchar Bhawan,
(next to Zakir Hussain College),
Jawaharlal Nehru Marg,
(Old Minto Road),
New Delhi: 110 002.
Telephone No. : 91-11-2321 1934, 2323 3466,
2322 0534, 2321 3223.

SUB : Regarding channels & content – TATA SKY.

Respected sir,

I have taken DTH service from M/s. TATA SKY who being the Service Provider beam signals to my Set-Top Box. I have purchased a DIGICOMP from them on 27/Sep/2007 from one M/s. ARASAN ELECTRONICS, Coimbatore (Digicomp No. 727173119918, Digicard No. 000026495275) and subscribed to their service ever since 29/09/2007 when the Set-Top box was installed on 29/09/2007 by Tata Sky Engineers at my residence and a Subscriber ID was given to me, namely 1008543918.

During Installation, I had taken the highest package from their service namely ‘SOUTH JUMBO’ Pack, wherein I was required to pay Rs. 350/- per month for viewing TV with all channels in that package. During that time NEO TV, NEO Cricket, TEN Sports, ESPN, Star Sports & Star Cricket were broadcast in the ‘SOUTH JUMBO’ pack.

They first cut channels like 9X, NDTV Imagine, NDTV Good Times, UTV Movies, Bindass, Colors and formed them as ‘Life Style Gold Pack’. Secondly they cut both the NEO channels and formed a separate package for that. Thirdly they cut TEN Sports channel and formed separate package for that. Recently they have cut Star Sports, ESPN & Star Cricket and formed a separate package for that.

Till they cut their service and formed separate packages, I was able to view all the above channels at Rs. 350/- per month.

Now they have recently announced that the ‘SOUTH JUMBO’ package would cost Rs. 310/- per month in lieu of Rs. 350/- per month and subscriptions of the above mentioned Hindi channels & Sports channels – packages would be as of :-

NEO Channel Package – - – Rs. 30/- per month
TEN Sports Package – - – Rs. 15/- per month
Sports Platinum Pack (Star, ESPN Sports) – - – Rs. 40/- per month
Life Style Gold Pack (Bindass, Colors) – - – Rs. 45/- per month

Thus I have to pay Rs. 310 + extra Rs. 130/- (for above packages), thus making a total of Rs. 440/- per month.

Thus it is clear that they can cut any channel at any time and form them as separate package and thus make more money by asking to subscribe for the separate package.

It seems that they have likewise planned to charge excessively for all channels combining them into packages and charge more than Rs. 1,000/- per month for Television viewing. This seems to be their ideology and is moving fast towards achieving this goal with the single ambition to fleece the Subscriber as much as possible.

This package itself (South JUMBO) is more than affordable for me. I am living in India and am a middle class man. Most of Indians are middle class like me and they will definitely dump DTH services if schemes and attitudes of DTH Service providing companies are not changed.

Tata SKY, in their “Terms & Conditions”, they have mentioned that they can drop a channel out of a package at any point of time and also they cut the service to the subscriber at any point of time without even assigning any proper reasons, and also “add new conditions to the already existing list of Terms & Conditions as and when needed”. Their “Terms & Conditions” is one sided. I kindly request you to go through these “Terms & Conditions” which I have attached along with this complaint letter.

Thus it makes clear that Tata Sky can individually remove any channel from a package and also add a channel by not visiting the Subscriber place and from sitting from at a remote location.

I requested TATA SKY Customer care in my E-mail to them, to kindly remove channels (languages which I do not understand nor view even for a minute) which I do not view.

The list of languages as follows :-

(1). Kashmiri (2). URDU (3). Bengali (4). Gujarathi (5). Marathi
(6). Oriya (7). Nepali (8). Kannada (9). Malayalam
(10). Punjabi (11). Rajasthani (12). Assamese
(13). English Cartoon Channels & Chutti TV (Tamil Cartoon Channel)

I clearly intimated to them through mail that I only watch the channels of the following languages:-

(1). English (2). Hindi (3). Tamil (4). Telugu

You would have noticed that languages which I watch are 4 meanwhile the languages which I don’t watch is 12 + Bihari = 13.

They had formed separate packages and insisted that ‘I Should pay for what I watch’. If I am ready to pay more they are ready to add me more channels which I understand / watch. The meaning of this is that If I need to watch Sports Channels then I should pay more.

I do know that India is a diverse country with a large number of castes, religions and languages. But any Indian residing in any state would never watch more than 2 or 3 regional language channels. WHY NOT YOU PEOPLE CHANGE YOUR SCHEMES ACCORDING TO THIS??

I AM NOW PAYING FOR EVEN THOSE CHANNELS WHICH I DO NOT WATCH.THIS I DO NOT LIKE AT ALL WITH TATA SKY.

• For the complaint mail sent I have received the following reply from TATA SKY Customer Care :-

Date: Saturday, November 8, 2008, 4:18 PM
Dear Mr. Ashok V,

Service Request Reference Number: 1-2575283808

This is with reference to your web query dated 07/11/2008 09:39:57 PM, enquiring about the customization of a package..

In view of the above, we would like to inform you that TRAI has not provided any suitable tariff for packages and commercial framework for DTH to provide unlimited flexibility wherein you can pay for what you want to watch. As and when such framework is available, we will be glad to provide you such flexibility.

Further, we would like to inform you that the decision to move some channels out of the base pack, was taken keeping in perspective the convenience which a subscriber benefits. With the varying content costs, and to not burden our subscribers who do not watch these channels.

Tata Sky has decided to revise the price of all the base packages by dropping these channels. However if you want to watch these channels, these will be available as new add on packs. It gives subscribers flexibility to add the channels as and when required and not pay extra when there are no events or specials airing on these Channels. The add-on pack is a monthly subscription pack and you as our subscriber have the complete freedom to choose when to subscribe to this pack and when to discontinue. This has also been enabled by the recent changes in the relevant laws affording consumers more choice.

Also, we would like to inform you that the necessary changes were made to offer consumers an effective choice and freedom to view what the subscriber wishes to. This was done keeping in mind the interest of consumers on an all India basis. To achieve the above direction, certain channels were removed from the various packs, the prices of base packs reduced and those channels were offered in separate add-on packs for the consumers freedom of choice and viewing convenience.

Also, please be informed that there has been no increase in the rate whatsoever; when certain channels were removed, the rate of the package was also correspondingly reduced.

Please note that this was done for the benefit of our consumers like yourself and give our consumers the freedom of choice and viewing convenience.

However, we appreciate your valuable feedback, we have forwarded the feedback to the concerned team and we highly value your relationship with us and respect the feedback provided.

We continue to work in the best interest of our subscribers and will make all efforts possible to improve the service so that you get the best value.

We appreciate your effort in taking time to write to us.

In the meantime, for any further assistance, please feel free to call us on the Tata Sky help line

From MTNL/BSNL : 1860 4256633
From West : 020 66006633
From East/South : 040 66006633
From North : 0172 6600663
Or write to us at help@tatasky.com.

Thank you for your valuable association with us. Assuring you of our best services at all times.

Warm regards,
Rathish Nair
Tata Sky Customer Care

• For which I gave the reply as follows :-

Dear Tata Sky Executive,

You must be aware that all communications taken place between your company and myself has been saved in my inbox, i.e., both inbox and sent items. Also please be aware that E-mail transactions are authorised as a valid proof in any Court of law in India.

I refuse to accept in my Set-Top box the Signals of the following channels with the following languages :-

(1). Kashmiri (2). URDU (3). Bengali (4). Gujarathi (5). Marathi
(6). Oriya (7). Nepali (8). Kannada (9). Malayalam
(10). Punjabi (11). Rajasthani (12). Assamese
(13). Cartoon Channels & Chutti TV – Tamil

You must be aware that Your company has legal binding on me so as to drop any channel out of a package or to revise the tarrifs.

Nowhere has it been mentioned that a Subscriber has to mandatorily / compulsarily accept all channels in any specific package. Neither has it been mentioned that the subscriber does not have the right to deny any channel. So it is obviously clear that you cannot force me to accept such channels as part of package which I never watch.

Please send me the Copy of the terms & conditions which I have signed while taking up the DTH service from your company and I am going to take up this issue with TRAI.

With Regards,
Ashok. V
Coimbatore
TAMILNADU

You itself see sir, I am now having to pay for nearly 60 channels which I do not view at all. I do not view the

(1). Kashmiri (2). URDU (3). Bengali (4). Gujarathi (5). Marathi
(6). Oriya (7). Nepali (8). Kannada (9). Malayalam
(10). Punjabi (11). Rajasthani (12). Assamese (13). Bihari
(14). English Cartoon Channels & Chutti TV (Tamil Cartoon Channel)

I am still fleeced and made to pay for all these channels which I do not view at all. If I am to view my Sports channels, they require more money.

So to view extra or new channels they are asking money and also making me pay money for channels which I don’t understand or view, thus at both ends fleecing me and as also all the subscribers throughout India.

If anything is asked, these people at TATA SKY blame the TRAI and say that there is no legal framework in India to view only channels which are required using DTH and you have to pay for all channels even if you don’t understand that language nor view them.

I want to pay for only those channels which I view and I’m not interested to pay for content which I do not view.

What am I to do with 1). Kashmiri (2). URDU (3). Bengali (4). Gujarati (5). Marathi (6). Oriya (7). Nepali (8). Kannada (9). Malayalam (10). Punjabi (11). Rajasthani (12). Assamese (13). BIhari

I do not understand a single word in any of these languages.

Similarly there are no kids in my home and no one views the 9 cartoon channels that are getting broadcasted which are unwanted to me.

I refuse to accept in my Set-Top box the Signals of the following channels with the following languages :-

(1). Kashmiri (2). URDU (3). Bengali (4). Gujarathi (5). Marathi
(6). Oriya (7). Nepali (8). Kannada (9). Malayalam
(10). Punjabi (11). Rajasthani (12). Assamese (13). Bihari
(14). Cartoon Channels & Chutti TV – Tamil

I would be more than happy if these people take back these channels and telecast channels like Zee Telugu, Zee Tamil, RAJ TV, channels which I understand and which would be more meaningful to me.

You must be aware that Tata Sky company has legal binding on me so as to drop any channel out of a package or to revise the tarrifs.

I am stuffed with whatever channels/content is available and I am not actually getting only what I want. This is a major problem.

Nowhere has it been mentioned in their “Terms & Conditions” that a Subscriber has to compulsorily / mandatorily accept all channels in any specific basic package. Neither has it been mentioned that the subscriber does not have the right to deny any channel or any language or part of a package. So the balance is in my favour. So it is obviously clear that they cannot force me to accept such channels as part of package or force all languages in a base package which I never watch.

Nothing specifically has been mentioned about “Languages” or “Region” in Section 5 of their “Terms & Conditions” in the Packages Section. Nothing has been mentioned explicitly or implicitly about the choice of content of subscriber in a package or nowhere has anything been mentioned about languages, region or boundary. By this also the balance is in my favor.

If only a legal framework is imposed upon DTH Service Providers by TRAI, only to charge for what the subscriber requires and what the Subscriber understands, for example, if only the channels which I want or understand are broadcasted to me, I can view them at half cost, i.e., instead of Rs. 310 per month, I can view them at Rs.155 per month.

As far as I have counted 42 channels belonging to the above 12 regional languages (plus Bihari making the language count as 13) and 9 cartoon channels are being broadcast to me thus making a total unviewed channel count of 51. In addition to this some religious and spiritual channels are also being telecast which makes the count even more higher. It is totally meaningless to broadcast Hindu Religious / Spiritual channel to Christian & Muslim homes. Something has to be done in this regard too.

DTH business is not like selling CARS &CAKES. On the contrary DTH business is like selling regional newspapers in a state. For example, there would be no takers for a Tamil Newspaper in Punjab or a Marathi Newspaper in Bengal.

So you clearly see that separate packages have to be formed for each state or at least each region., For example, South Region has to carry Signals of Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Tamil. It makes no sense to sell ‘SOUTH JUMBO PACK’ with all Indian languages (like Assamese & Bihari).

I again state that unwanted channels, nearly more than 60 channels are being broadcast which I neither understand nor never watch. These people at Tata Sky, by sitting from a remote location have full control of my Set-Top Box. They have the authority to make choices on my viewing of channels. They seem to think that I know all Indian languages and are broadcasting all languages signals to my set-top box. Similarly they think that I do not know anything about Sports and have blocked all access to Sports channels. QUITE FUNNY & RIDICULOUS. If I want to watch Sports I have to pay more.

“VIEW EXTRA – MEANS PAY MORE” – - – TATA SKY

“THEN GIVE BACK MY MONEY & BLOCK ACCESS – To Languages Which I don’t Understand or View” – - – - SUBSCRIBERS LIKE ME

By cutting of unwanted language channels & Cartoon channels (many of them being pay channels), I can cut a substantial amount of my monthly subscription and I can avoid those language channels and get back SPORTS & CRICKET and also view channels like ZEE TAMIL & ZEE TELUGU, RAJ TV, channels which I understand and would like to view at the same tariff of Rs. 310/- per month or even at cheaper costs.

There are many more Tamil Free channels like Jaya Plus, Tamil Aruvi & MAKKAL TV which I would like to view in contrary to Assamese, Gujarati & Bihari Channels.

The Bandwidth for the Set-Top box is partially wasted by transmission of languages which the subscriber does not want. If the Transmission is done according to the choice of the Subscriber, then the bandwidth for Set-Top boxes can be fully utilized thus thereby reducing bandwidth allocation for unnecessary channels or unnecessary languages.

So I request you to kindly look into this matter and kindly arrange for transmission of channels in DTH according to (1). Viewer preference, or (2). Region (North, South, East or West) or (3). Jurisdiction.

Since these persons at TATA SKY are telling that TRAI has not formed any LEGAL FRAMEWORK for DTH, I ask you to kindly form necessary legal framework for content of channels in DTH on Regional or state basis or language basis.

Thanking you,
Place : Coimbatore
Date : 12/11/2008

(V.ASHOK)