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Dish TV targets 8 million subscribers by FY'10

Indiantelevision.com Team

(19 January 2009 9:00 pm)

NEW DELHI: Essel Group's DTH company Dish TV plans to add three million subscribers in the financial year 2009-10, taking its total base to eight million.

Though the subscriber growth slowed down in December, Dish TV expects to hike its current customer numbers from 4.8 million to end the current fiscal at 5 million.

Dish TV had earlier announced it had a fund requirement of Rs 16 billion and has closed its first round of rights issue.

Says Dish TV COO Salil Kapoor, "Our focus will be to retain old customers while adding up numbers with new pricing strategies. We target eight million subscribers by FY'10."

Dish TV's churn rate is 0.5 per cent and the challenge is to bring this down, adds Kapoor.

Dish TV has launched the 'Recharge Free' coupon scheme which can be used by subscribers to top-up channels on a la carte and movie on demand. The scheme comes in four packs - Silver , Gold, Diamond and Platinum. For example, if a customer has used Silver pack worth Rs 200 to recharge subscription, the costumer will get top-up worth Rs 200 free. From this Rs 200, 20 per cent can be used to avail channels on a la carte basis while the remaining Rs 160 can be used for movie on demand.

Dish TV has put the launch of its digital video recorder (DVR) service on hold. "We have put the DVR launch on hold due to the recession. We are also trying to draw a price point for the DVR-enabled set-top boxes that would be attractive to customers," said Kapoor.