Dish TV ties up with portals to offer value-adds

[saurabh_g]

Bangalore: Want to find a new job or a bride? Or perhaps you want to zero in on a new holiday destination? Soon you may be able to do these things by just switching on your television.Leading direct-to-home (DTH) services provider Dish TV has increased its value-added services by tying up recruitment jobsite monster.com, matrimonial website shaadi.com and travel portal yatra.com to provide the services on DTH.DishTV COO Salil Kapoor said, "Internet access is available in limited pockets in India and television has penetrated every pocket. Through these value-added services (VAS) along with previous ones like ICIC Active, news active and games active, etc, we will increase the penetration of DTH and compete with cable operators."A Ficci and PWC report stated that there are 120-125 million households in India, out of which 83 million have cable network services (CNS), 30 million have DTH access, of which DishTV enjoys a market of 5.5 million subscribers.There will be special discounts for Dish TV subscribers apart from packages for Hotels if they book through yatra.com, Kapoor said.The DTH operator is also in the process of tying up with companies, which will enable subscribers to download ringtones, wall papers and order home delivery, etc.Dish TV services are offered on Volvo busses, SUVs, Kingfisher airlines, naval ships, yachts and even in trains like Palace on Wheels .Viewers can watch movies after its release two weeks later on their TV sets. "We have tie-ups with production companies like UTV and Sony on an equal revenue-sharing basis. This will also reduce piracy issues faced by the entertainment industry."Dish TV is, however, facing competition from host of other DTH providers -- Tata Sky, Bharti Airtel, Big TV and Sun Direct.Tata Sky's subscriber base has crossed 4 million and is closing on Dish TV's, yet Kapoor remains unfazed. "We will add 2.5 million subscribers this financial year and will invest Rs 1,600 crore for the next two-and-half years."The slump did not hit the DTH operator at all but the government's policy to increase entertainment tax did affect the firm.