Tata Sky Introduces 'Room TV Service' Ahead of June 15 Deadline for Multi-TV Subscribers

Tata Sky had announced last week it would be discontinuing its multi-TV connection plans from June 15. The move would have meant subscribers would have to pay individually for each connection at their premises. Airtel Digital TV and Dish TV also recently redesigned their multi-TV policies to comply with TRAI directives. On Thursday however, just ahead of its Saturday deadline, Tata Sky announced a new ‘Room TV service' that would give subscribers a better way to choose packs for multi-TV connections.

“Subscribers can seamlessly choose the content of their choice on the secondary connections and only pay for the selected content. Their secondary connections can now have different channels & services from the base pack selected for the first connection in the house under the same subscriber ID,” Tata Sky explained in a press statement. It adds that the Room TV service can be availed by subscribers through www.mytatasky.com or the Tata Sky mobile app.

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Exact details about billing, including about network capacity fees (NCF) on secondary connections, were not disclosed. We reached out for more information, and were provided the following statement, "The Room TV service becomes a favourable option as apart from the mandatory NCF, subscribers can pick and choose to pay for the channels that they desire for that particular room only. So if it's the bedroom or kid's room or grandparents room, channels can be selected basis that members select viewing preference."

In March, Tata Sky brought variable prices for subscribers who have opted for its multiple TV connections. That change made the primary connection as the base for the secondary connections of the DTH operator. Moreover, it was affecting the overall channel pack prices of the secondary connections that hasn't been defined in the recent TRAI tariff order.

The June 15 deadline would have forced subscribers to pay NCF on their secondary connections, and would have forced them to change the packs on such connections or risk paying the price of the primary connection on the secondary one. Airtel Digital TV and Dish TV recently redesigned their multi-TV policies to make them abide by the TRAI regime that allows service providers to offer discounts on NCF for additional connections in the same location.