TrueVisions adds more HD channels to cheaper packages
To cope with intense competition in the pay-TV market after the merger of CTH and GMM Pay TV in June, TrueVisions - the industry's largest player - has added more high-definition (HD) channels to its mid-to-low-tier packages.
The move is expected to attract 300,000 new subscribers in the remaining months of this year, of whom 80 per cent will come from the satellite-TV base and the rest from cable TV.
Manat Manavutiveth, head of commercial and business development for broadband service at True Online and TrueVisions, said yesterday that by the end of last year, TrueVisions’ premium customers could already watch 66 HD channels on top of standard-definition channels.
Now, for non-premium customers, the True Knowledge package will have 14 HD channels, Super Knowledge 27 HD channels, Super Sport 22 HD channels and Super Family 40 HD channels.
“We believe that of all 22.9 million households, 5 million to 6 million that earn more than Bt30,000 a month and are considered middle to mass customers have the potential to become pay-TV subscribers. So our new packages are expected to hit their demand,” said Sueksith Cholasuek, director of marketing at TrueVisions.
The company also uses a pricing strategy. For example, the Super Knowledge package was cut to Bt490 per month from Bt590 to attract mass consumers.
The company has earmarked Bt80 million for marketing and public relations for these new packages.
Adding new HD channels could also encourage more upgrading by mid-tier customers to premium packages and drive up average revenue per unit from Bt800 monthly now.
The company targets about 3 million subscribers by year-end, up from 2.4 million now.
The pay-TV market, particularly the premium segment, is almost saturated now, mainly with TrueVisions products. But there is still room to grow in the middle to low segments where stiff competition still exists despite the merger of its two rivals CTH and GMM Z Pay-TV, Sueksith said.
