KATHMANDU: Dish Media Network Pvt Ltd (DNM) — a Direct-To-Home (DTH) service provider — promoted by Kantipur TV, Image Channel, Sagarmatha TV and ABC Television will start its services from July this year.

DTH — reception of satellite programmes with

a personal dish in an individual home— puts the broadcaster directly in touch with the consumer, unlike the regular cable connection. DTH transmission is received directly by the consumer at his end through the small dish antenna and a Set-Top Box (STB) which decodes the encrypted transmission.

DNM is one of the six companies which have obtained the permission to operate the latest service.

This is a joint venture formed between these Nepali channels, Marigold Entertainment Pvt Ltd and Unity Group with the technical support from Mercantile Communications Pvt Ltd. Different world famous companies will be providing the required devices ranging from Satellite Transponder, Compression System, Conditional Access System to Set Top Box.

Marigold Entertainment’s Director Laxmi Prasad Poudel listed the advantages of DTH over regular cable services. He said, “Since STB receives direct signals from the satellites, there are no hassles of wires being disconnected and load shedding. Besides, the signals are digital so the channels will be clearer than one offered by cable. And since the signals are received directly from the sky, the service is available throughout Nepal, India and parts of Bangladesh and Bhutan as well.”

They informed that STB will cost between Rs 3,500 to Rs 6,500 and the monthly charge for basic 30-40 channels will be about Rs 200.

The premium channels will cost between Rs 200

to Rs 500.

The only hitch regarding DTH service is that one STB works only on one TV. This means that for every TV set, a separate STB is required.

Kailash Sirohiya of Kantipur Television and RK Manandhar of Image Channel said they were open to other DTH services as well.