IPL season is about to start again and the tournament is getting bigger with every passing year due to the brands and names involved in this cricketing event. Star India has rights to telecast all the matches and this seems to be creating a controversy with Airtel’s Digital TV service.
The issue of raising prices is creating problems between Airtel and Star India. Both are sharing their views from a month but now the matter has turned serious. Both companies are blaming each other on social media.
Star India’s allegations on Airtel Digital TV
Recently, Star India took the help of Twitter to announce that Airtel Digital TV is misleading consumers. The tweet read “Attention Airtel Digital TV subscribers! Star has not increased channel tariffs. Airtel Digital TV is misleading you and unilaterally increasing the prices of Star channels. To continue watching high-quality Star entertainment switch to new DTH/Cable operator NOW. #MakeTheSwitch”
Attention Airtel Digital TV subscribers! Star has not increased channel tariffs. Airtel Digital TV is misleading you and unilaterally increasing the prices of Star channels. To continue watching high-quality Star entertainment switch to new DTH/Cable operator NOW. #MakeTheSwitch pic.twitter.com/ny8LmmDmdF
— Star TV Network (@starindia) March 23, 2018
Earlier, Star India sent notice to Bharti Telemedia for non-payment of subscription fees and non-submission of subscribers. Due to this Airtel Digital TV users are getting a message on Star India channels conveying that soon viewers will not be able to watch these channels if Airtel does not renew the contract. “Star network has increased tariff of its channels, which will result in higher pack prices for you. In order to protect your interests, Star network channels will be temporarily withdrawn from your packs with effect from March 31, 2018,” Airtel is telling to the customers.
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Airtel’s reply
In order to reply Star India, Airtel also decided to tweet over the matter. Below is the official statement that Airtel released:
Official statement from Airtel Digital TV pic.twitter.com/xHmooVdSEO
— airtel India (@airtelindia) March 24, 2018
After seeing this statement, Twitter users were quick to share their views and they did that with aggressive replies to Airtel Digital TV. Here are some of them:
I am going to watch whole IPL on JioTV for free at 4G speeds.
If #airtel is going to charge extra for such channels as mentioned in letter I am going to stop paying #airtelDTH and throw out the dish out of my house and watch whole IPL on #JioTV for free at 4G speeds.
— Varun Vijayvargia (@vcube23) March 24, 2018
I feel cheated
This is very bad… I am on annual package and certain channels will go off… I feel cheated @airtelindia. Please let me know the procedure to leave airtel dth and apply for refund.
— Gaurav Sehgal (@CAGauravSehgal) March 25, 2018
I will be more than happy to join #MakeTheSwitch movement
@Airtel_Presence this is a very serious disconnect and I will be more than happy to join #MakeTheSwitch movement. It doesn't seems to be worthy anymore.
— imSurya_kd (@suryakantadas) March 24, 2018
Hey AirTel, remember when you used to charge Rs. 251/- for a single GB of data?
lol. Life comes a full circle.
Hey AirTel, remember when you used to charge Rs. 251/- for a single GB of data?
Standing now, would you care to explain what kept your data prices so high before Jio?
Wasn't that Arm Twisting?
How about Ur campaign against #NetNeutrality
— Lazy Tourer (@LazyTourer) March 25, 2018
Will users get to enjoy IPL on Airtel
Yes, there is no problem in that. Airtel has cleared this confusion by sharing a statement that read
“All key standard definition (SD) channels from Star network will continue to be available to Airtel Digital TV customers as part of their existing packs (no price increase). Airtel will bear the higher cost of these channels. Customers can go channel number 102 on Airtel Digital TV or www.airtel.in/dthinfo to get complete details of how to activate these channels. Popular High Definition (HD) channels from Star TV will also be available as part of select packs. Other HD channels from Star TV will be available on the a-la-carte basis and Airtel Digital TV will only charge customers what Star TV is charging it, not a rupee more.
As a result, Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 Hindi will be available to all the eligible customers.
According to Airtel, Star is looking to make up for the amount it paid for the IPL rights. To do this, Star is making sure that viewers choose the video on demand (VoD) platform that will offer IPL without the delay. if we believe the facts shown in a video made by Star India, Airtel is charging around Rs 1,000 for Star channels, which viewers using other platforms are getting to watch at Rs 200. To avoid this, STar has even provided the list of service providers including Tata Sky, Sun Direct, Hathway, Den, GTPL and Fastway with their prices.
What do you think over this? Do let us know about your views in the comments section.
