| Emmergence of satellite television | | | | But at that time, consumers were only required |
| Satellite TV has added a new dimension to the | | | | to pay for their dish receiver. That was the only |
| concept of television entertainment. The origin of | | | | cost involved in the entire service that they would |
| dish TV can be traced back to October 4, 1957 | | | | receive. They were not required to pay for the |
| when the satellite Sputnik got launched. World | | | | cable TV and satellite TV channels. All of these |
| communication concept started getting into shape | | | | were free of cost. But as we all know, good |
| with the launch of the satellite. An entire system | | | | things do not last long. The same also happened in |
| of geosynchronous satellites was set up in the | | | | the case of entertainment. The cable TV Act of |
| elliptical orbit by an association of private | | | | 1984 brought an end to the free viewing of dish |
| companies. This enabled broadcast communication | | | | TV channels. This caused the cable TV owners to |
| on a large scale. In 1976, satellite programming | | | | take hold of the satellite feeds and watching of |
| started getting delivered to the cable. | | | | satellite TV no longer remained a cost free affair. |
| Experiment for creating "direct to home" system | | | | Ku-band satellite TV |
| was also conducted in that year. The CBS | | | | As the popularity of dish network increased, the |
| system i.e. delivery of cable service through | | | | concept of dish TV went through a total |
| satellite, was introduced the following year. The | | | | transition. The small dish receivers that we get to |
| era of satellite TV started with the creation of | | | | see nowadays are namely the Ku-band satellite |
| Direct Broadcast Satellite or DBS. | | | | TV. The dish TV deals provide the customers |
| Big Dish | | | | with small sized dish antennas which receive |
| Do any of you remember of the dish antennas | | | | signals for delivering them on the screen of your |
| with a huge diameter? Those could only be | | | | television set. |
| installed in the terrace because of their ultra-big | | | | The kind of entertainment that is being offered |
| size. These dish antennas have reigned for more | | | | today is certainly better than that of the past. |
| than a decade. In those days, only the C-band | | | | Several exciting entertainment packages are now |
| satellite was available in the market and that too, | | | | available for the subscribers. Thus, not only the |
| very costly. I still remember that my mom and | | | | technical side but also the quality of entertainment |
| grand mom would point to the terraces sporting | | | | has improved over the years. |
| huge dish antennas and comment on their financial | | | | Be it the number of channels, programming |
| status. Even we did not have one at that point of | | | | packages, and audio-visual clarity; in every aspect |
| time, and so it used to be a fantasy for me. But | | | | the dish TV has changed for the better. The price |
| now I feel how foolish I had been in a childhood. | | | | is also quite reasonable for the masses to get |
| The new satellite TV is so cheap that it is visible | | | | access to it. Besides, it has build up a wide range |
| on the roof top or verandah of any middle class | | | | of coverage and serves even the remotest |
| family. | | | | places of the world. |
| Pricing -then and now | | | | |