Recharging and subscribing for add-on packages on Sun Direct DTH has come through a long way. Since I bought Sun Direct almost an year back, for add on packages I have been using their phone service and it wasn’t so convenient. More over it was time consuming in addition to a kind of painful n traditional recharge process. 
Now that Sun Direct has introduced mobile recharge and add on subscription services, it is fairly the best among the other existing DTH service providers in India.
Soon after recharging through their website, an OSD confirmation was on my TV in no time! I decided to test out their mobile platform too. Selected one of the package as add-on and sent a message in the appropriate format through my mobile. In next 30 seconds, I got the confirmation about the service activation. Within next 5 minutes, my subscription was accessible! Viola… great service. I am so glad that the human intervention has been isolated completely for recharge and add-on packages activation.
I still have a couple of concerns and hope Sun Direct listens to them and fixes these two as well.
1. Forgot password reset workflow needs to be re-visted and should be made simpler.
2. There should be a mechanism to de-activate an add-on package through online and mobile modes.
The quality of video and audio using MPEG-4 has certainly been good so far and I may try out Sun Direct’s HDTV services provided their prices come down to earth from sky. Currently HDTV prices are damn too high.. around 12K for the instrument and service to start with. It is not my cup of tea as of now 🙂
Kannan says
hi mohan,
this is kannan actualy i addon to Espn and star cricket channels in mobile.
that is (addon my sumarcard number 054). They are replayed to me pls type properly. I dont mean that. could you pls explian that.
Velmurugan says
hi karthi,
ICC T20 World Cup-> Official Broadcaster in India
ESPN Star Sports, Star Cricket, Mostly India matches: DD National
enjoy:-)
Velmurugan says
hi karthi,
ICC T20 World Cup-> Official Broadcaster in India
ESPN Star Sports, Star Cricket, Mostly India matches: DD National
enjoy:-)
Kannan says
I have Sundirect DTH and i add cartoonnetwork and Poogo channels as addon package. I receive these channels only in English but i want these channels in Tamil.
How can i get these channels in Tamil, Please tell soon
Thank You
Perumal says
Mohan, some of these queries are fit for the Consumer Court to be handled.
Mohan says
I feel the same too looking at so many complaints by so many customers…
uday kumar says
Good Evening Sir,
we have recharged our sundirect DTH for 2 months but the connection was terminated after one month. Can u help us why it was like that?
Mohan says
Uday, Please get in touch with customer care.
Arun kumar says
i had already reacharged sun direct’s set max for one month. After one month it had expired and after two i again recharged for 50Rs. but if activate set max through calling the number it says invalid code. help me what to do now.
Mohan says
Please call up customer care.
Kartherajan says
Hi,
Kindly tell me which channel is showing ICC T20 World Cup 2010 ?
Janarthanan says
i have subscribed for set max on 15th april…. but still it does not activate!!!!! what is the procedure to activate this completely????
Perumal says
Sun Direct no longer gives 9X, 9XM, ETC channels. Again, customer is the loser.
Velmurugan says
can anyone tell me. how to add-on discovery tamil(single channel).?
Perumal says
Siva, buy a card of Rs 220 or plus. Call Sun Direct customer care and ask them to recharge your account with the full amount you have. Your account takes Rs 110 as a monthly fee and for the rest you can SetMax.
Siva Perumal says
What is the procedure of recharge & Add-on Set Max .Please Sent the details of rech & Add-on.
chandu says
how can i de activate setmax in sun net through sms
Athul says
i recharged my account upto june but now it shows that “unknown smartcard”. please tell me the reason.and i need the sundirect website too
Mohan says
Athul, please get in touch with sun direct customer care.
Athul says
Hello Mohan Sir, Please Tell Me the Addon Code of Ten Sports
Mohan says
Athul, please refer to the code on sun direct website.
Perumal says
It is better to do top-ups through customer care. I do not think any other option is safe. Try calling them at around 8 am. Or ask them to provide alternate numbers if the main numbers get blocked.
As you know, their nodal officers never picks up the phone or responds to emails. It is downright pathetic customer care.
If I buy Rs 328 card, only God knows how much my ‘real’ balance is. I think it will be Rs 300. That is the point I am making. It is a simple waste of money.
The maths is simple. Rs 110 for 12 months is 1320. The discount offer is 1190, a mere discount of Rs 130. That means, Rs 10.833. After IPL, SETMAX will disappear, all FX and WB channels will disppear.
mohan says
hi,
Can you any one tell me, how to top up on discoverychannel through netbanking?
How much tax amount for basic tamil package for one year (ie. 1190/-)?
Perumal says
Mohan, I do not agree with the linguistic market thing. If that is the case, it should have given all regional free in its basic package. This is not the case. To view Raj, Vijay, Vasanth, subscribers have to shell out extra bucks. Also, for South Indian customers, what is the point in providing Bengali, Marathi, Bhojpur channels and a slew of North Indian DD channels free?
People at Sun Direct must understand that South Indian customers will be interested in their regional language, Hindi, and English channels. They will not be interested in any other North Indian channels, as these channels are well represented by Airtel, Tata Sky, and Dish TV, and others.
To view all popular channels in Sun Direct, one has to pay Rs 500. People now have recognised the trick of paying low charges and staring at blank screens. As a customer, I will not do that because cheaper options are now available in the market.
Perumal says
Mohan, I am waiting for my balance to end to switch over to another ‘customer friendly’ DTH service.
Now, Makkal TV and 9X have disappeared. By this month end, all FX and WB channels will disappear. So with the basic package, there are no English movie channels, except World Movies, no Hindi channel of either Star or Zee, no English Indian news channels, except NDTV, no sports channels, except DD sports, no English music channels. What kind of DTH service is this?
Mohan says
Perumal, I do understand your point. But the strategy of sun direct seem to be on capturing the linguistic market customers who rely exhaustively on one language. Sun directly is certainly not the best for those who seek english/hindi along with any south regional language.
Sowmya says
Hey
Ive sent a msg to activate Set Max to 58585 (Reliance) by following their format prescribed AddonSmart Card No.025 on 15/3/2010. But I’ve not got the connection yet.
Its 24 hrs nearly..
Could anybody assist me plsssss…………..
Mohan says
Sowmya, their system won’t respond if there is too much of traffic and which is the reality most of the times. They have too many things to fix I should say. Better call up customer care and get your addon activated.
vetriveeran says
i already have some amount of 60 rupees in my smart card. Then how can i get addon for set max in that amount? Whenever i m trying for toll free no or chennai number, its always coming as busy. When can i try? tell me suggestions
Mohan says
Vetriveeran, you can try the online method as well. See the details mentioned above or in some of the comments. I know this is a busy IPL season and more over they are running promos hence obviously, their customer care numbers would be clogged. Sad that they haven’t scaled to handle the huge traffic that is happening right now.
I suggest you to try sometime around 9 in the morning when the call center folks just start their day, you might be lucky to get hold of someone in short period.
D Mohan says
I disagree with your reply on March 16, 2010 at 11:00 to a comman man
I, D.Mohan- SUN DTH Connection No.-41123052809, recharged my account for an amount of Rs.1398 (Rs 999+133+133+133) on 10.03.10 through online just to avail the offer of free Set Max for the ongoing IPL and one month extra validity although I was having Rs.411 in my account. When I approached their customer care the immediate thing they did was activation for one year wef 10.03.10 to to 11.05.11 although few days were left for the renewal date and after activation politely they said that I will not get that offer as it is not for the existing customers, which I could not understand. All that I understood is now SUN DTH started to cheat also its customers shamelessly, as did in my case by neatly pocketing a huge amount without interest.
D Mohan
Mohan says
Dear Mohan, well, I too went through a similar experience when I recharged last time. The fact is that they don’t have the annual pack enabled through online portal and you wont be able to see it. The only way to get it activated is by calling them and informing them to activate it for a year. The only options you have online is for monthly renewals.
I have availed the yearly renewal with 1 month extra plus setmax for IPL 2010 free, call up their customer care and they will activate it for you too. 🙂
chinna says
Hi I am chinna. yesterday i made online recharge of 300 rs to activate Set max. Yesterday i was called so many times but it contineously saying busy. For mobile registration i made sms like RMN Space Smart card No. i tried 3 times sms cost is 3rs per sms but i am getting reply like system is busy try again later. I have never seen these type of Customer care Service. can anyone suggest me now what i ahve to do. I have 300rs balance in my account. i want to add on set max ……
Please dont say call to customer care …. it wont work out. i am totally fedup….
Mohan says
Chinna, try your luck with online recharge by logging into sundirect self service portal. I have mentioned the link above. Another point to ponder is, If you foresee such mad rush for events like this, always activate your needs a week in advance so that you don’t have to go through this pain when their lines are completely clogged.
CommanMan says
SUN DIRECT DTH its a wrost serive, i am unable to call customer care, its always says busy. why they dont spent some time to give good service to existing customer,
They are wasting in giving new advertisment to get more custor, and they are giving setmax for only those whor buying new one, What abt existing customer, From this point of view, they are not taking care of old customer,
VERY VERY VERY, Wrost service, Plz Dont buy SUN , better use some other service
Mohan says
Oh no.. they are giving set max free for all the existing customers also provided you recharge for one year. With that you also get 1 month extra, ie., pay for 12 months now and get 1 month free + Set Max for IPL 2010
Vijeesh says
Dear Sir,
I top up my account Rs. 53 is balance now, The how can I get set max
mani says
i m trying to add set max from morning 7:30….the match have been started but still i have not got that channel……………..It’s just money eating…………..
Mohan says
Mani, they have a toll free number too… you may want to try out that!
Peruma says
Sun Direct does not give value for money. To see all channels, except sports channels, customer have to pay Rs 438. To view sports, they have to added, another Rs 100 gone.
The customer care is pathetic, with servers crashing daily. I have to wait 10 minutes to connect. Where on earth will you see such third-rate customer care?
Sun DTH is a waste of money.
Mohan says
I know you are one annoyed customer of Sun Direct.. why don’t you switch over?
kishore says
Sundirect website sucks , they disabled the recharge service knowingly to gain money through sms recharging as today IPL starts…..
we need to sms so that they earn money……………… sun direct sucks………..
Kartherajan says
How to activate “Freedom Tamil” package(Basic Pack)? I have sufficient balance in my sun direct account…………..
Mohan says
Kartherajan, you have to call up their customer support if you need to activate yearly package to avail 1 month extra free as well as IPL package with SetMax free. Reaching them now would be a real tough challenge since everyone will be trying for the same.
veereandra says
sun direct is varest one in all sun dth . i sugest you to all ,plz dont bye sundirect
actually i was trying to activate today setmax channerl .but they take charge and it will taken to connect customer care 10 minutes and i was in line but after 5 minites once again the voice is your expected time is 10 minites
not only these problems
we dont have sources to activate channel
and if we using sms method it will not activate and 3 rs will loss
Mohan says
Sorry, but I hardly understood your comment.
Kalyan kumar says
Mohan sir,
Kindly help me in recharging my account, I have recharge card but still unable to recharge, since when I called customer care 044-3907575, IVR voice saying all lines are busy. I am trying from yesterday, still unable to reach. I called today morning from 4 am onwards, it is saying still lines are busy. I want to subscribe for one year and to active set max for watching IPL.
Kindly help me plz.
Mohan says
There is no way but to keep your fingers crossed to get in touch with customer care rep when you call them. You can’t subscribe to one year package and get ipl free without contacting them over phone.
Perumal says
Rs 110 is a monthly recharge amount. Sun Direct automatically takes Rs 110 out of your account as a monthly charge. You have to buy another Rs 110 or Rs 328 card and ask them to add Neo Cricket package. Always keep in mind that if you do not have Rs 110 as the balance in your account, u cannot include an add-on.
Very strange and very ridiculous.
Mohan says
True, that is because to include any addon to your account, there has to be some basic pack enabled.
Shan says
Hai I recharged the Sundirect account with the voucher of Rs. 110/- and I requested for the Neo Cricket package but they send me the message that there is not sufficient balance in my account, but my account balance is Rs. 110 something. what is this
vijay says
sun direct is the worst dth service providing in Tamilnadu & all over india
shameer says
I am very interesting to establish DTH service of Sundirect in over area first, comparing from other services it is very poor service, poor knowledge of the technicians, the customer care service change their phone numbers, it is very difficulties for recharge of the services. My receiver is not find any mails for expiry of service. Over service providers are not cooperate with customers.
nagaraj says
one of the worst customer care in sundirect Bangalore pls cancel immediately.
compare to best service tatasky, big tv etc,.
Nehal says
Can i gt da email address whr i cn resolve my prob
Mohan says
Visit their customer care contact page and there you have an option to submit the complaint online. They will revert back to you on your email through that.
Vishnu says
Sun Direct is taking people for a ride as the customer login page is not at all a safe page. I have tried to login several times, but my anti-virus software blocks it saying it is an “insecure page or connection”. There is some problem with the site’s security that disallows people from loggin in. I request all of you not to log in to this site, unless Sun Direct rectifies the issue. The customer login is unsafe and Sun Direct is doing nothing to resolve this.
Do somebody know their managing director’s/CEO’s number?
Nehal says
I tried to log in online but it says that the login is invalid.
I am doing it for long now but still the same message appears.
Please help as dealers around me cant log into my account.
They are saying that the password is changed from the default one.
Mohan says
Nehal, contact the customer support folks via email/phone. They will reset the password for you. Even I had a similar situation sometime back and they resolved the issue by resetting password.
karthik says
iam not satisfied with sun direct, is it possible for me to return their setup box and get my payment back.
Mohan says
I have no info on that Karthik. Check with their customer care. Please update us if you receive any updates on this.
Perumal says
Basic packages do not have news channels, Hindi and English movie channels, news channels and sports channels. Everything has to be bought separately as add-on packages. If you calculate the monthly cost, it comes to nearly Rs 400 per month.
lawrence says
please let me know how to recharge add on pkg through online. i have the voucher
Ganapati says
sir,
I am ganapati from Honnavar I want to collect and pay the ammount of DTH subscriptions
how I do this?
Mohan says
Ganapathi, sorry, I didn’t get your question. Would you mind rephrasing your question with a bit more detailed info?
shahin says
hi dear. how can i change my basic package by online. i want to change basic thamil shine pack
Mohan says
Please call up their Customer support to get it done. I am not sure if this can be done online.
Perumal says
Sun DTH site is down today. Unable to recharge. Customer care is still very bad.
Mohan says
hmmm… sad to know that. Hope they are listening!
murali says
i want addon sports channels how can i do this
Mohan says
Hi Murali – see the list of channels and their charges here – http://sundirect.in/add-ons.html and then activate by following the details there.
satish v says
hey Mohan..
I just wanted to know if there is a scope to subscribe for single channels only or do
we have take the grouped packages…
Secondly, Is the CBeebies Channel available in the SUN DTH..I couldnt locate this in their official site
febin.k.mathew says
Please refer to this link for selecting your add-ons on Sun Direct. To know your balance, please call up customer care.
drsamuelraj says
why cannot i watch cartoon network in tamil
Mohan says
Hi All,
I am able to access my sun direct info online 🙂 All I had to do was to send a request to their customer care to reset the password and now I can subscribe and unsubscribe for packages online without having to call up them on phone!
Way to go Sun Direct 🙂