DTH
DD FreeDish to roll out call centre
MUMBAI: It’s getting customer-focused. Almost as if inspired by the services provided by the private DTH providers such as Tata Sky, DishTV, Videcon d2h, Airtel Digtial TV, and Sun Direct, the Doordarshan-promoted free TV provider DD FreeDish is getting set to launch its call centre facility.
It is taking this step concurrent with the expansion of its channel capacity from 80 channels to 104, courtesy the move to upgrade its set-top boxes from MPEG2 to MPEG4.
A senior Prasar Bharati official yesterday confirmed while talking to indiantelevision.com that a call centre would be set up after completion of MPEG4 Switchover.
Once customers buy their iCAS-enabled and approved set top boxes from authorized retailers, they will then have to make a call to the FreeDish call centre to get their STB registered. This will then allow DD’s engineers to keep a tab on the number of subscribers the DTH platform has.
The call centre would be set up after the total switch-over to MPEG4 when a centre number on which a subscriber could call would also be given, the Prasar Bharati official said.
DD has been plagued by a lack of subscriber information to DD FreeDish over the years. The pubcaster created the platform but sold the MPEG2 STBs through retailers without keeping a tab on who was buying them and who is active. Estimates are that its subscriber base could be anywhere from 20 million to 40 million.
Since the new STBS are MPEG 4 compliant and have a conditional access system installed in them, they will have to be activated which will happen courtesy the call centre. This will give DD the facility of logging in every new subscriber into its system and hence have accurate subscriber counts. The call centre will apparently be the touch point for all service related complaints to the STB also.
Hitherto DD FreeDish had toll free help line and a customer help desk numbers which operate from morning to 10 pm, according to its website. The opening of a 24 hour call centre facility could add to the FreeDish customer’s delight
DTH
Dish TV launches ‘Kuch chhota sa’ campaign for TV flexibilit
New campaign highlights 190+ channels, Always-On service, Rs 99 Freedom Pack.
MUMBAI- Sometimes, the smallest remote click can fix the biggest daily friction and Dish TV is betting on exactly that insight. The company has rolled out a new campaign built around the thought ‘Kuch chhota sa karne par, life hogi behtar’, turning everyday viewing annoyances into a case for simpler, more reliable television access.
The campaign taps into a familiar household reality: millions of viewers continue to rely on free-to-air channels but increasingly want the flexibility of premium content, often ending up with a patchy and inconsistent viewing experience. Dish TV positions itself as the middle path—a structured yet flexible alternative that promises continuity without complexity. At its core is the pitch of an “Always-On” service, designed to keep content accessible even when recharge timelines slip, effectively reducing one of the most common friction points in DTH consumption.
To strengthen this proposition, the platform is offering access to over 190 channels, alongside a flexible pricing hook through its Freedom Pack, starting at Rs 99. The pack is positioned as a seasonal companion particularly relevant during high-engagement periods such as cricket tournaments, school holidays and festive windows, when content consumption spikes but users may not want long-term commitments.
Conceptualised by Enormous, the campaign unfolds through two master films and three short edits rooted in slice-of-life storytelling. From a husband quietly navigating around his sleeping wife to siblings striking a compromise over a coveted window seat, the narratives lean into humour and relatability rather than heavy messaging. The underlying idea remains consistent: small adjustments can meaningfully improve everyday experiences.
The rollout spans a full 360-degree media mix, including television, digital platforms, on-ground activations, point-of-sale visibility, Google Display Network placements and influencer-led content, signalling a push for both scale and contextual engagement.
As viewing habits continue to evolve in a hybrid ecosystem of free and paid content, Dish TV’s latest play reflects a broader industry shift where reliability and flexibility are increasingly positioned as differentiators, not just add-ons. In a market crowded with choice, the brand’s wager is simple: sometimes, it’s the smallest tweak that keeps audiences tuned in.
