Beximco Communications is set to launch Bangladesh’s first direct-to-home (DTH) satellite TV service in April 2016.
Called RealVU, the service will initially be available in cities and metropolitan areas, with country-wide coverage following ‘in time’, according to the Daily Sun.
“We are ready to provide DTH services under the RealVU brand name very soon which will drastically change the viewing experience of the Bangladeshi TV audience,” said Dmitry Lapitskiy, CEO, Beximco Communications.
The DTH service will cost around BDT300 (US$3.83) a month, and provide subscribers with over 100 channels. These comprise more than 26 local channels and a number of major international networks, along with five HD channels. The price of the set-top box required to receive the service has not yet been disclosed.
RealVU is a joint venture between Beximco and the Russian investment and industry holding company GS Group. It follows the award of a DTH licence by the Bangladesh Government in December 2013. Buyers Media Ltd was also awarded a licence to operate a satellite TV service at the same time.
Operators will be able to operate a maximum 12-month lock-in period where customers are obliged to use their service, following DTH guidelines issued by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission in September 2015. In return, DTH operators must provide a service centre at every district headquarters. Furthermore, distributors and operators must provide two years of repair and maintenance to subscribers without any charge.