Thailand's RS Launches Satellite Service
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| Sunbox set top box galaxy |
RS launches SUNBOX satellite TV receiver under the slogan, "Hit! Worth!
Good! No Monthly Payment," offering more than 200 channels accessing to C
Band and over 80 channels to KU Band with watching one-season La Liga
League for free. It joins forces with Big 4 to increase a number of
distribution channels and with DTAC to launch an aggressive campaign,
‘free watching - free calls - free Internet access.'
Ratchaprasong - Surachai Chetchotisak, Chief Executive Officer, RS Public Company Limited, unveils that, "after RS launched RS Sport La Liga, the latest satellite TV of RS, under the concept of New Definition of Pay TV, RS taps satellite TV receiver market by introducing attractive content and potential of conditional access satellite TV receiver with the launch of SUNBOX satellite TV receiver under the slogan, "Hit! Worth! Good! No Monthly Payment," as RS aims to utilize the high potential content like La Liga football league and raise the standard of satellite TV receiver market in Thailand to support many world-class contents in the future.
Sunbox enters set-top galaxy
RS Plc, the country's second-largest entertainment firm, has officially
launched its Sunbox satellite TV receiver and plans to sell more than
500,000 boxes in the next four months.
Ratchaprasong - Surachai Chetchotisak, Chief Executive Officer, RS Public Company Limited, unveils that, "after RS launched RS Sport La Liga, the latest satellite TV of RS, under the concept of New Definition of Pay TV, RS taps satellite TV receiver market by introducing attractive content and potential of conditional access satellite TV receiver with the launch of SUNBOX satellite TV receiver under the slogan, "Hit! Worth! Good! No Monthly Payment," as RS aims to utilize the high potential content like La Liga football league and raise the standard of satellite TV receiver market in Thailand to support many world-class contents in the future.
Sunbox enters set-top galaxy
RS Plc, the country's second-largest entertainment firm, has officially
Surachai Chetchotisak, the chief executive of RS, and Pornpan Techarungchaikul, the chief operating officer, show off their company’s new Sunbox set-top receiver.
Chief executive Surachai Chetchotisak said the satellite set-top box market is heating up. RS's rollout of the Sunbox follows a plan to use its own bidding content such as Spanish La Liga football.
"Sunbox will support the future technology of the satellite set-top box," he said.
"We're also planning for the long term as we hold the rights to broadcast Fifa World Cup, which will be held in Brazil in 2014."
The set-top box is said to be compatible with all kinds of satellite dishes and offer more than 200 channels with a C Band dish and 80 channels with a KU Band dish.
The box costs 1,590 baht, with no monthly fee.
Viewers who already have another set-top box can subscribe to RS content for 1,200 baht a year.
RS has teamed with the "big four" satellite TV providers _ Infosat, Ideasat, Leotech and Thaisat _ to distribute the Sunbox at 7-Eleven stores and appliance shops nationwide.
The company is also working with mobile service provider Total Access Communication to promote the box by offering free calls and free internet access.
"The satellite TV receiver market is in a growth state with a large opportunity presented to operators," said Mr Surachai.
"But this means we're now entering a tougher competition, and competitors therefore need to be ready in every aspect. Let's wait six months, and we'll see how many big players will stand in this competition."
The chief executive said RS is willing to negotiate with cable and satellite operators including TrueVisions over the broadcast rights for La Liga football and the 2014 World Cup.
Pornpan Techarungchaikul, the chief operating officer, said the satellite TV receiver business should draw nearly 800 million baht in the second half of this year.
RS expects to rake in 2 billion baht from its new RS Sport La Liga channel.
The channel will broadcast three seasons of La Liga football (2012-15).
The company anticipates 800,000 subscribers to the pay channel by the end of the third season.
RS is now negotiating with several partners for joint bidding on English Premier League broadcasting rights next month.
GMM Grammy Plc, meanwhile, plans to apply for a digital licence to provide prepaid TV service.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission is expected to issue the licences by October.
Thana Thienachariya, the chief executive of GMM Z, said the pay-TV service is expected add to its existing digital TV platform.
Demand on satellite TV receiver nationwide continues growing incredibly as there are currently 10 million households watching TV via satellite TV receiver from the total of 20 million households having a TV set. About 5 million households watch TV via local cable TV and 2 million households are TrueVisions subscribers. There is a trend that all households in Thailand will have more than 2 TV sets each and that satellite TV receiver will grow to 20 million boxes. From now on, the market will compete with contents that come together with the box and technology that will support both conditional access and non-conditional access so the launch of SUNBOX aims to sell the contents mainly by using satellite TV receiver as a channel to distributing the contents. This will be an opportunity for growth of SUNBOX in the future as we hold the right to broadcast 2014 FIFA World Cup being held in Brazil which is the world's number one sport content besides La Liga football for 3 seasons."
Pornpan Techarungchaikul, Chief Operating Officer, RS PCL, discloses that, "for the distribution channel, our partner BIG 4 will be the producer and distributor of both C-Band and KU-Band SUNBOX satellite TV receiver and the distributor of satellite antenna. BIG 4's distribution will cover both wholesale and retail shop dealers of satellite set nationwide as well as electric appliance stores. Moreover, RS expands distribution channel to convenient stores like 7-Eleven as we want our customer to get SUNBOX conveniently. Customers can buy and install it by themselves by replacing or adding it to their existing satellite TV receiver.
SUNBOX is a satellite TV receiver with more special offers than competitors in the market. When customers buy a SUNBOX worth 1,590 Baht, they will get the following privileges:
Special promotion from DTAC - Free Watching, Free Calls and Free Internet Access: Customers who buy a SUNBOX within October 31, 2012 and are DTAC customers or apply for DTAC will get free calls and Internet access worth 1,590 Baht by only registering at Call Center 1781.
Watching La Liga Spain, totaling 380 matches throughout the season, for free.
Warranty card can be sent to win a trip to La Liga Spain now until December 31, 2012.
For the target of SUNBOX satellite TV receiver sales, the company is confident to have at least 500,000 boxes in sales within October 31, 2012.
"We are confident that SUNBOX will be another business which will be successful from the strength of our entertainment network which we utilize entertainment contents, sport contents and medias in our subsidiaries for maximum benefits. We also have strategic partners and media partner as well as other partners to complete SUNBOX satellite TV receiver to win audience's heart. We are confident that we will be able to generate revenue from this project as target definitely," Mr. Surachai concludes.
BIG 4 is a cooperation among 4 producers and distributors of satellite TV set and receiver including INFOSAT, IDEASAT, LEOTECH and THAISAT.
RS Sport La Liga supports demand of Spanish football fans in Thailand. It will start broadcasting at the first time in July in the platform of New Definition of Pay TV under the concept of ‘easier, more convenient and fair price' with only 100 Baht a month. It will be another significant spearhead that will generate revenue to RS. Target subscribers in the first season of La Liga Spain (during August 2012 - August 2013) are 200,000 - 350,000.
