SunDirect DTH services are provided by Sun Network. I got SunDirect installed on June 1st of 2008 and my experience with them has been good so far. The installation guy was very friendly and came promptly at a previously agreed time. He had all the equipment to set up the receiver dish on my roof top and got it erected in no time. He gave a detailed info on the service, Dos and Dont’s etc., Also, we were given information on the technology, customer support info, activation method, recharge options and much more.
Sun Direct uses the latest MPEG-4 based technology to increase broadcast capacity. Where as the other DTH providers in India like TataSky and DishTV are currently using MPEG-2 technology. SunDirect picture and sound clarity is certainly better than the other players in this market.
Now, let me write about the channel options and pricing. SunDirect costed me Rs 1999/- which includes Installation and activation charges as well as 1 year subscription for their Freedom package. In this package you can select any one of the regional languages as your basic pack. This pack comes with approximately about 80+ channels including all major south indian linguistic channels along with few limited Hindi and news channels. SunDirect basic package also includes a good number of radio stations operated by Sun FM and AIR. SunDirect’s pricing is comparitively less. A couple of days back, they have introduced many sub packs for movies, kids entertainment, regional language top ups etc., Thats a good sign for customers. There are few more good things about SunDirect, there is no dependency of using a given smart card on any other Sun DTH STB. This is not the case with other players as on date.
Now coming to the drawbacks, the major miss is wrt sports channels like Star and ESPN, BBC. Not sure when they are going to bring those channels into their packages. I would look forward for individual channels pricing instead of getting them in a package. This option provides user with full freedom of paying for only those channels which they opt to view. SunDirects Customer call centre isn’t that great either. They were struggling to provide information when I called them. May be it needs a bit of improvement as it is the early days of their evolution. Reliance’s BigTV DTH service launch is just round the corner. This will bring in a healthy competition among DTH players in the market and customer would be the beneficiary at the end of the day.
Arunagiri says
Hi,
I have balance of 117.08, It is showing
“Insufficent balance to hold basic till end of Add-on, Please topup ”
when i tried to addon on set max which is just Rs.20.
Is there anything i need to do ?
Mohan says
Contact customer care!… It is totally a weird way that their systems operate!
Nagasivaprasad M says
i am one of the sundirect subscriber. I want to add on set max to watch ipl. For this i want a addon package/channel code please provide asap
Regards,
NS Prasad.M
Nagasivaprasad M says
i am one of the sundirect subscriber. I want to add on set max to watch ipl. For this i want a addon package/channel code please provide asap
Regards,
NS Prasad.M
rajeshm says
i have recharge card for 25 rupee.. how do i activate set max for one month.
rajeshm says
i have recharge card for 25 rupee.. how do i activate set max for one month.
Mohan says
many readers have complained that the sms and the online recharge aren’t working right now. Sad, but you need to call up tech support to get it activated.
Kaliyamoorthy says
sir, i am working in qatar and i came from india. i would like to ask one thing that may i get sundirect channel in qatar?
how to i setting in this channel?
can you explain to me!!!!!
Kaliyamoorthy says
sir, i am working in qatar and i came from india. i would like to ask one thing that may i get sundirect channel in qatar?
how to i setting in this channel?
can you explain to me!!!!!
Rabindran says
Can you please advise how to add the VH1 channel in the SUN DTH service? Is there monthly subscription facility for VH1?
Mohan says
Hi Rabindran, VH1 channel is available with South Jumbo and North Jumbo packages only. It is not available as individual pay channel.
s.Anoop singh says
i purchase a sundthbut not good working.many times i complaint customer care no reply
Mohan says
I am sorry to hear that. They are yet to revive their customer grievance cell to provide better service for its customers.
Also, starting this month, monthly charges would be 99/- pm instead of earlier 75/-. They are proving themselves that they are no good compared to others.
Jayamohan says
I have subscribed to a new Sun Direct connection on 30-05-2009, the invoice no. for which is IND-1234 from Pai Electronics in Bangalore. It took one week (6th June) for them to install the unit. Till now, even after more than 10 days the subscription is not yet activated. The worst part is, the customer service; as I cannot reach anyone. The contact suggested to me by the dealer was one by name Velu whose mobile no. is 9741155816. He said that it will be activated by tonight 8:00PM. Since it was not activated even after 8:00PM, I called him, but he refused to pick the call. Later I receive a message form a cell No.(9980990484) with the following message: “Pai International Electronics – Due to the Sun Direct Server down time, activation will be delayed, kindly bear with us. We understand the inconvenience caused to you and we regret the same. Thank you – Pai International Ltd.” i’m not sure how far this is true. This message appears to be bogus. Anyways, just like the guys at the dealrship said; I can confidently tell anyone not to go for a Sun Direct connection.
May someone not repeat the same mistake what I did.
Jayamohan says
I have subscribed to a new Sun Direct connection on 30-05-2009, the invoice no. for which is IND-1234 from Pai Electronics in Bangalore. It took one week (6th June) for them to install the unit. Till now, even after more than 10 days the subscription is not yet activated. The worst part is, the customer service; as I cannot reach anyone. The contact suggested to me by the dealer was one by name Velu whose mobile no. is 9741155816. He said that it will be activated by tonight 8:00PM. Since it was not activated even after 8:00PM, I called him, but he refused to pick the call. Later I receive a message form a cell No.(9980990484) with the following message: “Pai International Electronics – Due to the Sun Direct Server down time, activation will be delayed, kindly bear with us. We understand the inconvenience caused to you and we regret the same. Thank you – Pai International Ltd.” i’m not sure how far this is true. This message appears to be bogus. Anyways, just like the guys at the dealrship said; I can confidently tell anyone not to go for a Sun Direct connection.
May someone not repeat the same mistake what I did.
Mohan says
@Supriya
Yes, they have a standard disclaimer in their terms and conditions which says “Channels can be removed without prior notice”. Since we hardly go through such T&C, there is not much we can complain about it. But I do agree with your concern that reducing the number of channels is no good. If you notice, those 2 channels are not available even if you want to pay and get them.
@devadas
I don’t have much to say except what I have written to supriya above. To establish the customer base, they go to any level and then start reducing the channels. This is ridiculous.
@Raj
Yes, I agree with you completely. If they don’t address their customer care related service issues, they will certainly lose the customer base.
Mohan says
@Supriya
Yes, they have a standard disclaimer in their terms and conditions which says “Channels can be removed without prior notice”. Since we hardly go through such T&C, there is not much we can complain about it. But I do agree with your concern that reducing the number of channels is no good. If you notice, those 2 channels are not available even if you want to pay and get them.
@devadas
I don’t have much to say except what I have written to supriya above. To establish the customer base, they go to any level and then start reducing the channels. This is ridiculous.
@Raj
Yes, I agree with you completely. If they don’t address their customer care related service issues, they will certainly lose the customer base.
Raj says
HI I feel Sun DTH service is horrible they do not have a proper cust care no all the nos which they have given are useless.The pic clarity and the channel they provide are good but very very bad service compared to other service providers.
Sun DTH has to correct this ASAP to retain their cust base.
devadas says
from the malayakam package kairali peoples and jaihind was removed. these two channels r removed from the list also.
devadas says
from the malayakam package kairali peoples and jaihind was removed. these two channels r removed from the list also.
Supriya Reddy says
From Telugu freedom package, NTV and TV5 are gone.. Sun is reducing the number of channels drastically and moving them to paid channels list. I wont be renewing them anymore. Without any news or prior notice, they simply removed those channels.
Supriya Reddy says
From Telugu freedom package, NTV and TV5 are gone.. Sun is reducing the number of channels drastically and moving them to paid channels list. I wont be renewing them anymore. Without any news or prior notice, they simply removed those channels.
Mohan says
@Perumal
Thanks for the info Perumal. Appreciate all the details you have been providing on at regular intervals.
Perumal says
DTH subscribers has something to be happy about as TRAI has issued guidelines in favour of the subscriber.I like the following one:
No change in composition of a subscription package during first six months of enrolment or during the period of validity of subscription paid in advance.
For more, see http://www.trai.gov.in/WriteReadData/trai/upload/Regulations/80/regulation12mar09.pdf
Perumal says
DTH subscribers has something to be happy about as TRAI has issued guidelines in favour of the subscriber.I like the following one:
No change in composition of a subscription package during first six months of enrolment or during the period of validity of subscription paid in advance.
For more, see http://www.trai.gov.in/WriteReadData/trai/upload/Regulations/80/regulation12mar09.pdf
Perumal says
Malayalam channel Jai Hind is no longer available in Sun DTH.
Perumal says
I made a add-on recharge around 7 pm on Saturday. Till now, they have not activated the add-on. I called them twice yesterday. Every time they took my phone number and promised to activate in 15 minutes. Till now, there is nothing.
I am not going to call them again. I have fixed an appointment with my legal adviser next week.
Perumal says
I made a add-on recharge around 7 pm on Saturday. Till now, they have not activated the add-on. I called them twice yesterday. Every time they took my phone number and promised to activate in 15 minutes. Till now, there is nothing.
I am not going to call them again. I have fixed an appointment with my legal adviser next week.
Perumal says
Thanks Mohan for the suggestion. There is another issue with Sun Direct. There is some serious problem with their servers as even after I activate an add-on, I will have to call the customer care many times to simply activate it. The customer care executive takes all the details, but when I desperately call them later, my add-on package is still not activate. I do not what is happening, but it seems that I might file a case with the consumer redressal forum for such third-rate and inefficient fare.
There is one thing I am happy about. The video and audio qualities are good. I am pissed off more with their third-rate customer care and the absence of popular channels.
Perumal says
Thanks Mohan for the suggestion. There is another issue with Sun Direct. There is some serious problem with their servers as even after I activate an add-on, I will have to call the customer care many times to simply activate it. The customer care executive takes all the details, but when I desperately call them later, my add-on package is still not activate. I do not what is happening, but it seems that I might file a case with the consumer redressal forum for such third-rate and inefficient fare.
There is one thing I am happy about. The video and audio qualities are good. I am pissed off more with their third-rate customer care and the absence of popular channels.
Mohan says
@Perumal
I feel you are seriously annoyed with Sun direct. The best option for you would be to switch back to the good old cable operator! Though there are bountiful of channels, people usually tune to only a set of 20 channels. It can be really annoying with you don’t get those 20 channels. For such people, Sun-direct is certainly not the solution.
Perumal says
Yo Music has also disappeared from Sun DTH. The following channels disappeared from Sun DTH after the first week of January 2009:
Ten Sports
Zoom TV
Yo Music
Perumal says
Yo Music has also disappeared from Sun DTH. The following channels disappeared from Sun DTH after the first week of January 2009:
Ten Sports
Zoom TV
Yo Music
Perumal says
My point is if I have to buy every channel as an add-on, what is the difference between Sun and Cable TV? All the popular entertainment, movie and sports channels are not available in their main package. Customers have to buy everything as add-on packages. That comes to Rs 200 per month. Then, what benefit is this ‘free’ connection offered?
One more thing. It is very difficult to talk to their customer executives. After 6 pm till 9 pm, nobody picks up the phone. I condemn such stupid customer care. I have another one. If I buy a recharge card for Rs 100, I can add channels upto Rs 89 only! Rs 11 goes as tax and other shit. If I want to avoid this, I have to take the Rs 300 jumbo pack. That costs Rs 3600 per year. When added to Rs 2000 I paid, it is Rs 5600. Then why should I continue with Sun DTH after one year? I will get a better package with others!
Perumal says
My point is if I have to buy every channel as an add-on, what is the difference between Sun and Cable TV? All the popular entertainment, movie and sports channels are not available in their main package. Customers have to buy everything as add-on packages. That comes to Rs 200 per month. Then, what benefit is this ‘free’ connection offered?
One more thing. It is very difficult to talk to their customer executives. After 6 pm till 9 pm, nobody picks up the phone. I condemn such stupid customer care. I have another one. If I buy a recharge card for Rs 100, I can add channels upto Rs 89 only! Rs 11 goes as tax and other shit. If I want to avoid this, I have to take the Rs 300 jumbo pack. That costs Rs 3600 per year. When added to Rs 2000 I paid, it is Rs 5600. Then why should I continue with Sun DTH after one year? I will get a better package with others!
Mohan says
@Perumal
I wish to differ with some of your views. Sun Direct does have sports packages and you can see them here under add-on packages.
However, this is certainly not the choice for urban crowd as you have mentioned. Yeah, even I have observed the disclaimer on their site which says “As Per TRAI notification current channel prices will be increased effective from 1st June 2009.”
Perumal says
Sun Direct package is just crap. No sports channels, no Hindi channels, and no popular news channels. It is just another DD DTH service. Which South Indian wants to watch Nepal tv and NE tv? Except for a few music channels, Sun DTH is not value for money. If you want to watch good channels, you have to buy everything, virtually everything. When the service was installed, there was CNN and Ten Sports. Without notice, these channels disappeared. Now Colors will disappear from March. Prices of all channels will increase from June 2009. What kind of shit is this?
Perumal says
Sun Direct package is just crap. No sports channels, no Hindi channels, and no popular news channels. It is just another DD DTH service. Which South Indian wants to watch Nepal tv and NE tv? Except for a few music channels, Sun DTH is not value for money. If you want to watch good channels, you have to buy everything, virtually everything. When the service was installed, there was CNN and Ten Sports. Without notice, these channels disappeared. Now Colors will disappear from March. Prices of all channels will increase from June 2009. What kind of shit is this?
Mohan says
@jeyan
Thanks for your inputs. Even I have observed that professional behavior from Sun Direct technicians.
jeyan says
Hi all..
Greetings of the day….
Myself and family members are using 6 Sun DTH and the service provided by them is good. As Vargheese said, Its not necessary to explain each customer how the process is going. Just the customer need to have knowledge about how to change channel ,and changing volume. Its more than enough, since the service person is Installing very neatly and he will go after ensuring all basic chenels are received or subscribed channels if the customers opted subcription. You need not pay for him. Our experience with technicians are , they rejected “tips” even we tends to give to them. Till now there is no problem.
jeyan says
Hi all..
Greetings of the day….
Myself and family members are using 6 Sun DTH and the service provided by them is good. As Vargheese said, Its not necessary to explain each customer how the process is going. Just the customer need to have knowledge about how to change channel ,and changing volume. Its more than enough, since the service person is Installing very neatly and he will go after ensuring all basic chenels are received or subscribed channels if the customers opted subcription. You need not pay for him. Our experience with technicians are , they rejected “tips” even we tends to give to them. Till now there is no problem.
Mohan says
@Perumal
I am sorry to hear your bad experience with Sun DTH. However, I had a very good service. Even today, if I need any help, the person who installed Sun Direct attempts to my call and resolves the issue to my satisfaction. He has been really good.
Perumal says
I paid Rs 2000 to a dealer in Bangalore and I am still waiting for the installation. The customer care, nodal officer and local call centre phones are always engaged! Are they cheating people? What is the guarantee for their quality of service?
Perumal says
I paid Rs 2000 to a dealer in Bangalore and I am still waiting for the installation. The customer care, nodal officer and local call centre phones are always engaged! Are they cheating people? What is the guarantee for their quality of service?
Nagarajan says
I am using DishTV.
Earlier I was using Cable TV. The operators do not know how to respect customers. Even after informing the owner, no improvement was there. I did not pay for 3 months. He disconnected. Later I changed over to Dish TV. I have to pay minimum Rs.150 for viewing Tamil channels. DTH is one way costly (with limited channels )but the quality is good. One disadvantage is during raining you cannot use this. Pictures will brake into pieces or it will hang. If the cable operator is maintaining perfectly, we need not go for the Dish TV services at all.
Nagarajan says
I am using DishTV.
Earlier I was using Cable TV. The operators do not know how to respect customers. Even after informing the owner, no improvement was there. I did not pay for 3 months. He disconnected. Later I changed over to Dish TV. I have to pay minimum Rs.150 for viewing Tamil channels. DTH is one way costly (with limited channels )but the quality is good. One disadvantage is during raining you cannot use this. Pictures will brake into pieces or it will hang. If the cable operator is maintaining perfectly, we need not go for the Dish TV services at all.
varghese says
I am a sundirect DTH subscriber and not happy with the quality.If anyone in this group may pl. explain me step by step regarding the manual scanning proceedre .
Is it is possible to scan and see other channels ( FTA)which are not included in the Sundirect Package by using the dish. If it is possible kindly guide me about the proceedure for doing the tuning and fixing the same in step by step.
The service technicians of the agents are not qualified enough to educate or briefing the customers about the operating proceedures.Buit they are skilled in erection and laying of the cables etc. no doubt. They lags in the technological part.If they take care about the qualification of the technicians and giving proper training the inconvenience faced by the customers can avoid
Thanks
Ganesh says
Hi Folks, I have a friend of mine who uses the Tata sky, which he is sharing with his friend in the first floor. Meaning, they are acutally 2 families living in 2 different apartments in different floors sharing a single dish with two setup boxes (to view seperately). Guess they were charged Rs.1000 extra for the setup box and you will be paying Rs.125+tax approx which will enable you watch the same package they have. I am sure this is doable. But with Sun direct I regret the decision of purchasing it since me being a personal user I get to have a lot of trouble with the box or the dish. I remember having them called atleast once in 20 days. Their service is pathetic, when you ask them for a tech support, they want you to call your dealer or the distributor. They inturn try to mint money out of the issue.
Ganesh says
Hi Folks, I have a friend of mine who uses the Tata sky, which he is sharing with his friend in the first floor. Meaning, they are acutally 2 families living in 2 different apartments in different floors sharing a single dish with two setup boxes (to view seperately). Guess they were charged Rs.1000 extra for the setup box and you will be paying Rs.125+tax approx which will enable you watch the same package they have. I am sure this is doable. But with Sun direct I regret the decision of purchasing it since me being a personal user I get to have a lot of trouble with the box or the dish. I remember having them called atleast once in 20 days. Their service is pathetic, when you ask them for a tech support, they want you to call your dealer or the distributor. They inturn try to mint money out of the issue.
Geeta says
I have to agree with mohan here. One can’t compare provisional cable netwrok with DTH for clarity in vision and sound. However the down side is that the channels tuning is a bit slow comparitively.
Even I am planning to go for DTH service however i am waiting for Reliance DTH to start 🙂
Geeta says
I have to agree with mohan here. One can’t compare provisional cable netwrok with DTH for clarity in vision and sound. However the down side is that the channels tuning is a bit slow comparitively.
Even I am planning to go for DTH service however i am waiting for Reliance DTH to start 🙂
Mohan says
There are always pros and cons of the conventional cable network compared to DTH. Though you have 3 sets, you need to pay the cable operator for all of them – advantage may be that you might get some discount on additional connections. But certainly, you can’t use the connection for all 3 sets by paying for just one with the operators knowledge.
Providing discounts to multiple set users may be an opportunity for DTH operators in India to think about in near future.
Netnarcotic says
The Sound and picture quality is not as bad as many of us think Normal Cable TV is of bad quality…. if the cable guy configures exact signaling config to each home with good cables and amplifiers it can out beat these satellite tv’s and another disadvantage of these dish tv is if you have more than one TV you have to buy another set top box and another annoying thing is you have to use Both TV remote and settop remote in convention….. and i have no idea how they bill for extra connection….
in my home we are using single cable connection for three sets one main TV in hall , another in my sister room and one i have connected it to my desktop in my room and till now the signal are very good and video and audio quality is great!!!
Netnarcotic says
The Sound and picture quality is not as bad as many of us think Normal Cable TV is of bad quality…. if the cable guy configures exact signaling config to each home with good cables and amplifiers it can out beat these satellite tv’s and another disadvantage of these dish tv is if you have more than one TV you have to buy another set top box and another annoying thing is you have to use Both TV remote and settop remote in convention….. and i have no idea how they bill for extra connection….
in my home we are using single cable connection for three sets one main TV in hall , another in my sister room and one i have connected it to my desktop in my room and till now the signal are very good and video and audio quality is great!!!