My woes with Sun Direct DTH
Fed up with the local cable TV operator (which is a Monopoly in my area just like everywhere else in Chennai) a few months back I switched the remaining 3 Television connections in my house to Sun Direct DTH. In my working den I have been having Tata Sky for more than a year as I like to watch STAR World and other English channels, and Tata Sky at time had good packages for that.
The offer of Rs.2999 for Set Top Box and One Year Free Tamil Channels from Sun Direct was ideal for the two televisions in the living room and my parent’s room – as they watch mostly Tamil Channels and some English News channels, that’s all. Since I have a 5-year-old son, for my bedroom I opted for the add-on package of “Pluto” that includes Pogo and Cartoon Network for Rs.27 per month. All was well for some time. Recently one day, Pogo and CN stopped working and son started screaming. I called Sun Direct customer care after few minutes of verifications the person insisted I say whether I am a customer or a dealer – though I introduced myself as “Venkatarangan” husband of the subscriber in whose name the connection is. He explained that I have to renew my package (Pluto) to get this and to do this I have to disconnect, call again and this time gets connected to their “Recharge” department. After doing that, it turned out to be that I have to renew the “Pluto” every month. Can you believe it?. I can’t give a standing instruction that I need these channels/packages for every month. Even though I have a balance of over Rs.200 in my account, Sun Direct would like you to speak to them every month and renew it. The customer care representative said please make a note that your package expires on 24th Feb 2009, so remember to call us near that time and renew again. As a customer, it is our job to remember and call them – what a great service in this digital age.
After doing that I thought it will be easier doing this through their web site. It turns out this is the same way in the web site as well, and the web site works only with Internet Explorer. I learned this when I used Firefox to login and change the default password, it kept saying the password I gave didn’t meet minimum length – it turns out their JavaScript/DOM access is scripted only with IE in mind.
So if you decide to purchase Sun Direct DTH, though there are no issues on the Broadcast quality, you will find their customer care and web site will test your patience from time to time – be prepared for that!. In Customer care, online and mobile access – Tata Sky is superior and miles ahead.
11 Comments
vel
Mega TV and Makkal TV Missing
From 04 Mar 2010 night onwards, i am also not getting Makkal TV and Mega Tv.I think it’s could be political problem.i am using SUN DTH. So i am going to remove my SUN DTH connection.please tell me which DTH connection is best?
Vijay Krishnan
Hi
I had similar issues with Sun Direct and I disconnected it later. Apart from the issues you have stated, the remote does not work quite often, the set top box locks up frequently when I keep changing channels – in fact, one of the customer care operators gave me a "solution" once – he asked me not to switch channels fast but to do it slowly!
Veetukku Veedu same issues!
KERSI TARAPORE
What you mention of market dynamics, is true to some extent, but in the bargain, such people make money in the wrong way, like "Make Hay while the Sun Shines", method. THIS SHOULD NEVER BE ENCOURAGED. Today their services have improved, response time is better, but still money gulping is the same as the local cable operators. So it is more or less the same with cable or DTH. When the spectrum based driven operators in India start their services, it is really going to end this monopoly. BUT THE QUESTION IS WHEN?
Venkatarangan TNC
Arul, I think DTH comes under TRAI. You might want to try complaining to TRAI through their website.
Arul
Dear Sir,
I totally fed up with Sun direct activities. If i summary my last 10 days phone calls, transport(car) to their Destributor (MST Enterprices) i would buy 3 new connection from my expesnses. Till now not yet done anything. Is there any legal way to make complient(Consumar court/ human rights. to to more awareness to public in the future. Eventually im thinking to call reporter of Jaya, Vijay & Makkal TV to show there poor service so that remaining publics should aware
Pls Advice
Regards
Arul
ramesh
Sir,
I would like to buy a dish tv,can plz suggest me which is better to go for…thank u sir
Venkatarangan TNC
Kersi Tarapore,
I can understand your pain. My approach normally to services are to let market dynamics do its natural course of selection/descruction. It is either for the company to listen actively to their customers through all sources (traditional and web, blogs) and fix the issues or perish.
KERSI TARAPORE
SUN DIRECT SERVICE IS DISGUSTING. DEALERS SUPPORT COMPANY BY GIVING FLIMSY EXCUSES AS THE COMPANY IS IN ITS INFANCY STAGE, IT SHALL PICK UP, OR TEETHING PROBLEMS DO OCCUR. IF THEY CANNOT MANAGE THEIR SERVICES THEY EITHER WIND UP OR HAVE A TARGET DATE OF IMPROVEMENTT BOTH OF WHICH REMAIN UNKNOWN. CUSTOMER SERVICE NOS ARE JUST NOT POSSIBLE TO GET THROUGH AT ANY OF THE METRO CITIES INCLUDING CHENNAI. THEY MESS UP WITH UPGRADES. EVEN AFTER PAYING FOR VOUCHERS, THE SERVICES ARE NOT ACTIVATED FOR MORE THAN A WEEK AND IN THREE WEEKS THEREAFTER THESE CHANNELS GO BLANK. YOU ARE LEFT TO DEFEND FOR YOURSELF. SUCH COMPANIES HOULD BE CHARGED FOR CHEATING UNDER HE MRTP ACT, COLLECTIVELY, BY A GROUP, (I SUGGEST YOU MAY LEAD THE GROUP) AND CLAIM FOR DAMAGES FOR GIVING NFERIOR SERVICES.
KERSI TARAPORE
Venkatarangan TNC
Sandeep,
The user interface is Okay with Sun Direct – certainly not bad. It lacks the channel guide, games, news, information and other features of Tata Sky. Tata Sky and Sun Direct – on UI comparison, Tata Sky will win any day.
Sun Direct’s customer support and website are their sore points.
Sandeep Pareek
I totally go with the attractive price offered by Sun Direct… Yet i want to know how is the interface or the usage point in Sun Direct..?? Have you seen the interface usage between dishTV and Tatasky… Dishtv is totally untolerable on that part… User interface is completely not supportive… so can you write back about it…
And regarding customer support.. i am tired… i tried to call them for asking one query from past 3 days… no way.. that single phone line.. could help me… by no way… and they dont reply to queries made in website also…
Mail to me at (sandeep_186@hotmail.com) please..
Sundar
Thanks for sharing your experience. I was considering Sun Direct. I will skip it from my comparison.