Tata Sky introduces new value-added services

Ahmedabad, Aug 30 (UNI) Tata Sky, a direct-to-home (DTH) service provider will introduce new value-added services, including features in interactive TV and launch of personal video recorder (PVR) that will enable users to pause live TV programmes, within a few months.

Addressing a media conference here today, Tata Sky Chief Marketing Officer Vikram Mehra said, ''The company has crossed one million subscriber mark in the first year of its operations and aims at eight million subscriptions by 2012. This milestone marks the fastest first million reached by any DTH platform in the world.'' Mr Mehra further added, ''The one million connection mark in a short span of twelve months vindicates our commitment to transform the way people watch television in India.'' Tata Sky, a joint venture of Tata group and Star, at present has over 120 channels on its platform and is in negotiations with Sun TV. It also plans to increase the number of channels available with more focus on regional content.

''During its launch in 2006 the awareness level about DTH was merely less than 35 per cent but the rate has increased to 87 per cent within the first six months of the launch of Tata Sky,'' Mr Mehra pointed out.

Tata Sky has set up a state-of-the-art digital infrastructure including an uplink centre in Gurgaon and has opened three call centres in Hyderabad, Mohali and Pune supporting 11 languages --English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telegu, Oriya and Bengali.

UNI