Airtel Digital TV, the DTH arm of Bharti Airtel, is launching its High Definition service, with set top boxes (STBs) priced at Rs 2,840, further fuelling the price war in the sector.
Its competitors like Tata Sky, Dish TV, Reliance BIG TV and Sun Direct have already launched their high definition services at various price points to attract new subscribers.
"Airtel digital TV HD will be available at Rs 2,250 for our existing customers choosing to upgrade and Rs 2,840 for all new customers," Bharti Airtel director and CEO (DTH) Ajai Puri told PTI.
HD transmissions offer better picture and sound quality compared to standard definition (SD) transmission. HD set-top boxes (STB), which offer wide-angle viewing, are considered particularly suitable for watching sporting events and action movies.
"As of now, subscribers will get access to ESPN's HD feed of the FIFA World Cup for Rs 99, but we will add other HD channels over the next few months," he said.
For the new service, Airtel will also have a 360-degree marketing campaign, featuring brand ambassadors Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor.
The company will also leverage its existing bundling tie-ups with LG and Samsung.
With rising interest in global sporting events like the Indian Premier League, English Premier League and FIFA World Cup, DTH operators are confident that viewers will switch to digital high-definition broadcasts.
For DTH firms, HD set-top boxes promise a lucrative revenue stream as they will be priced a bit higher than traditional devices and carry higher monthly charges.
Sun Direct was the first operator to launch its HD service last year, priced at about Rs 10,000. Since then, other operators have also jumped on the bandwagon and launched their HD service at much cheaper rates.
Tata Sky launched its HD service last week, with HD STBs priced at Rs 2,599, while Dish TV has slashed the price to Rs 2,990 (from Rs 5,990 at the time of launch).
