Big TV launches MDU service

BANGALORE, INDIA: Big TV DTH, the fastest growing DTH service in India, is offering Multi-Dwelling Unit (MDU) installation service across India. BIG TV reached the magic figure of 1 million subscribers in a short span of 90 days and now plans to drive large group deals in residential clusters, hospitality businesses and business parks through the MDU installations. The company is targeting a market share of 40 percent in the MDU segment within the first year of operations.

The MDU is a customized DTH solution targeted to tap various sections of Societies, Commercial complexes, New Townships, etc., where a single dish antenna can provide the DTH connection to multiple households. This circumvents the need for installing individual dish antennas for every household connection.

"MDUs are a natural extension of a DTH service. Our MDU service offers a perfect solution to residential complexes which are not too keen to have too many dish antennas peeking out of balconies and where the Line of Sight to the satellite is not very clear. As part of our marketing and sales strategy, the MDU service will help generate volumes in residential clusters," said Mahesh Prasad, President, Reliance Communications.

BIG TV will provide the MDU connection to the entire residential complex through a single large dish antenna linked to individual Set Top Boxes (STBs) in various households within the premises.  The MDU dish size varies between 90 cms and 120 cms depending on the number of households it services. The cost of hardware will be borne by BIG TV. Each household participating in the scheme gets one STB as a part of BIG TV's MDU scheme.

Despite the common dish antenna being installed, each household will have the freedom to choose their own channel package including the free regional pack offered with the inaugural channel pack. Subscribers will also have the option of opting for any of the various entry offers that are available for them to choose from.

As part of its aggressive push to generate MDU volumes, BIG TV has set-up a dedicated pan-India network of 350 Direct Sales Agents (DSAs) and 500 member installation team to handle MDU business. BIG TV has already installed MDUs at over 1,500 locations and close to 4,000 locations are in the installation process.