Dish TV in high demand in UAE despite ban

"We have launched an awareness campaign asking people to refrain from using the Dish TV services and informing them that it is illegal," officials of Real Media-Zee Network said.     

Manoj Mathews, Vice President, Corporate Communications at Real Media-Zee Network, told Khaleej Times that they have a tie-up with e-vision for the campaign.     

"The problem has been persisting for quite some time now. The content of Dish TV is just for India and is illegal outside the country. The receivers and cards of Dish TV are being smuggled into the country by dealers. We are trying to curb the practice," he said.     

Earlier, the Ministry of Economy had directed the port authorities across the UAE to confiscate TV decoders being smuggled into the country.     

The report quoted many dealers as saying that Dish TV has been a craze among the people of Asian origin and is cheaper than the locally available cable TV services from E-vision, the cable TV service provider in the UAE.     

Dealers said there are big agents in the market who import the decoders and the cards in thousands from India.     

A sales executive with e-vision said that they were suffering losses because of the Dish TV. 

"People are inclined more towards the Dish TV as it airs all the sports channels as well as movie channels at a cheaper rate," he added.