Will DTH work in India?

Debate

 Jawahar Goel,
Head, Siti Cable  Seven years ago, launching a direct-to-home (DTH) service could have been a recipe for disaster. Investment costs were very high so customers had to fork out much more.  But today, the market has been transformed: prices of the dish and the set-top box have crashed through the roof, overall investment in putting up a DTH infrastructure has dropped and customers are also reaping the benefits of more attractive tariffs.  What is fortuitous for DTH operators is the fact that the service comes at a time when the government is pushing for the Conditional Access System (CAS), which will make cable television more expensive, narrowing the tariff gap between the two.  The cost of the installation equipment (which includes the dish and the set-top box) offered by Siti Cable is an attractive Rs 3,900. Apart from falling prices, the government has also offered a temporary relief