[icernet] DTH powered Zee hits overdrive

[Arul Selvan]

Zee is already working towards implementing the government mandated CAS and
also starting a KU-band DTH service, pipping nearest rival Space TV/Star to
the post. Some Rs 4,000 million have been invested by the various Chandra
companies in the HITS and DTH facility, which is close to being
commissioned. The equipment from companies like Textronics, Philips and Sony
are in place, transponders on Insat have been leased, the array of TV
monitors are flickering for a demo and the wooing of cable ops for
partnership for HITS (marketed under brand name Galaxzee) is in full swing.
"In short, we are ready to go live with HITS from the D-day and follow it up
with the DTH service," explains chief executive Puneet Goenka of another
Chandra-promoted company, ASC Enterprise (the licence holder for uplinking
channels for DTH and HITS.) The equipment landed in India around April 21
and in three weeks time, the facility was put together. Not satisfied with 3
C band and 4 KU band transponders on Insat 3A satellite, Zee-ASC has
requested for more KU-band transponders, which, Goel says, are likely to
come through soon The additional KU-band transponders would be needed for
the DTH service where Chandra's companies are seeking to provide between 48
to 60 TV channels in the first phase, plus 12 satellite radio channels.
What's more, the glitzy facility at Noida also has the total capacity to
play out 40 channels on a deferred basis.

Source:
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