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What is DTH and how will it operate in Pakistan

What is DTH and how will it operate in Pakistan

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Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) auctioned the country’s first three Direct-To-Home (DTH) licenses for Rs. 14.7 billion on Wednesday but many of the television users in Pakistan are still unaware of the basics of the service.

So What is DTH actually?


Definition: The DTH technology enables a broadcasting company to directly beam the signal to your TV set through a receiver that is installed in the house. There is no need for a separate cable connection.

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In this a dish is placed outside a home which helps in receiving the signals and broadcasting the transmission onto a television. The signals are digital by nature and are received directly from the satellite. The digital signals provide optimum quality in all features and make viewing an absolute pleasure. Features like 1080i resolution, 16:9 Wide Aspect Ratio, 5 Times Digital Picture Quality and HDD Sound add to the incredible experience of television viewing.


With DTH, you will also be able to view High Definition (HD) channels, more number of dth channels and you can customize the package as per your choices.

There are also widespread complaints of piracy of foreign channels by some of the local cable TV operators as well as individuals. Establishment of DTH service with proper authorization is expected to eliminate such gray market activity to a large extent.

How is it different from Cable TV?
The way DTH reaches a consumer’s home is different from the way cable TV does. In DTH, TV channels would be transmitted from the satellite to a small dish antenna mounted on the window or rooftop of the subscriber’s home. So the broadcaster directly connects to the user. The middlemen like local cable operators are not there in the picture.

DTH can also reach the remotest of areas since it does away with the intermediate step of a cable operator and the wires (cables) that come from the cable operator to your house. As we explained above, in DTH signals directly come from the satellite to your DTH dish.

Also, with DTH, a user can scan nearly 700 channels.

DTH will definitely cut into the existing cable user base. It will make the local cable operator less important and take business away from him. It will give consumers greater choice.

How will it operate in Pakistan?

The DTH Operator would receive / downlink the eligible channels (channels which are authorized by PEMRA for distribution in Pakistan) from various satellites including free to-air and encrypted channels at the head-end / DTH station. For the encrypted channels the DTH operator would make payment to the channel operator in accordance with the PEMRA prescribed tariff. Once

Once down linked the channels would be edited, where required, to make them in conformity with the PEMRA code of Conduct. After which the channels would be combined through multiplexer to form a bouquet / channel mix and then uplinked to a designated satellite, with adequate transmitting power, for distribution to the subscribers in the form of a single bouquet.

The subscribers would be able to receive the bouquet of television channels through small dish antennas and digital decoders on payment of subscription charges to the DTH operator.

The number of channels will be decided by PEMRA based on the study of local needs, public interest, availability of channels and their conformity with the Code of Conduct.
Can it be used for direct Internet connection? I mean not for home users but a firm that is operating in remote areas may use it if available?
 
i live in a village in pakistan and we dont have access to cable or ptcl channels so i used Indian DTH services and it used to cost me 1500 RS for 3 months.
 
Who are the expected vendors.
Shahzad Sky Pvt Limited, Star Times Pakistan Communications Limited and MAG Entertainment Private Limited

Some guys with "Jinati" powers have revealed that MAG Ent is "Yahudi Sazish" (JV) of GEO and Mian Mansha. :blah::blah:
 
YT link
and 1500 is too much imo

I highly disagree on the monthly cost. Although it will be high initially but will reduce very quickly,remember in start an sms used to cost around Rs.5 and local call Rs 8, it was when there was no competition. Now look at call and sms tariffs. All three companies will fight for market share from the day one. So expect 300 to 500 per month the cheapest package not more than that., but obviously we will have better packages with more channels will be available too which will cost definitely higher than the cheapest package. it will not go to 1500 mark my words.

Who are the expected vendors.
Mag Entertainment, Shehzad Sky and Startimes Communication win the licenses. I believe they will use chinese dth equipments and later the Chinese company will set up a plant to manufacture those equipments in pakistan. expected date of launch is 1st Nov 2017 if govt respect the deal with cable operators otherwise we can have them anytime. The basic infrastructure is available in Pakistan already.

DTH is costlier, but picture quality is far better. Only problem is during heavy rain.

BTW, Pakistan didn't have DTH for so long?
yeah its auction delayed since 2003 due to cable mafia and no interest from the govts. Now our govt need money inflow so that is why they have auctioned the licenses.

Can it be used for direct Internet connection? I mean not for home users but a firm that is operating in remote areas may use it if available?
there is already a satellite internet service with the name "YahClick" , but technically they can provide internet access from the same dish which they will be providing for channel reception. In fact indian dth service dont know the name is planning to provide internet too on the same connection or may have already started the service. I think some indian member can confirm that. But i believe those dth companies will required some sort of license or NOC from PTA before they can provide internet too. That is why PTCL was running for the DTH license using their sister company SmartSky but they failed due to lack of money and i am 200% sure they were interested not because of the TV services but due to the possibility of providing internet through the same dish too. They badly failed with EVO and wanted some new way to dominate internet market. I am surprised though why they fell short in auction.
 
there is already a satellite internet service with the name "YahClick" , but technically they can provide internet access from the same dish which they will be providing for channel reception. In fact indian dth service dont know the name is planning to provide internet too on the same connection or may have already started the service. I think some indian member can confirm that. But i believe those dth companies will required some sort of license or NOC from PTA before they can provide internet too. That is why PTCL was running for the DTH license using their sister company SmartSky but they failed due to lack of money and i am 200% sure they were interested not because of the TV services but due to the possibility of providing internet through the same dish too. They badly failed with EVO and wanted some new way to dominate internet market. I am surprised though why they fell short in auction.
It will be great thing if they did provide DTH Internet :toast_sign:
 
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DTH is costlier, but picture quality is far better. Only problem is during heavy rain.

BTW, Pakistan didn't have DTH for so long?
Nope everytime we tried to auction cable operators created hurdles by striking across the country
 
kab se bol rahey they India se le lo par nahi baat to manni hai nahi lekin utpatang sawal kar kar ke thanks jo leni hai :P
 
It will be great thing if they did provide DTH Internet :toast_sign:

if you really need satellite internet than contact and get YahClick, dont wait for them to provide because it is not yet clear if they will ever do it. If i were you i will never count on that. Just hope for best but dont expect it.
 
Question 1)

We have dish TV and similar transmissions in Pakistan since past 20 or so years. How is it different to existing products?

We also have small receivers and the antenna provided by several companies so O guess that is being sold illegally?

Question 2) If we already have similar products being sold illegally then what steps are the government taking to ensure the consumers get the right product?

I know DTH is similar to Sky TV in UK and I think it is nothing new for people in Pakistan. May be only going to regularise it
 
DTH is costlier, but picture quality is far better. Only problem is during heavy rain.

BTW, Pakistan didn't have DTH for so long?
We did in 1990's but i think they all were illegal but most houses had at least one dish.
 

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