Direct to Home (DTH) service provider Sun Direct has removed the lock-in period for channels and bouquets on its platform. Now, its subscribers are free to add or drop channels and bouquets without any restriction of the lock-in period, first spotted by DreamDTH.
Earlier, the lock-in period on Sun Direct was 30 days and even if anyone wants to watch a channel or subscribe to a bouquet just for one day, he was forced to pay for a full 1 month. But now similar to Tata Sky and Airtel Digital TV, users of Sun Direct can also drop their subscribed channels and bouquets whenever they want.
However, there is one major difference in the policy of Sun Direct. While Tata Sky and Airtel Digital TV refund full money, if subscribed channels or bouquets are dropped on the same day, Sun Direct, has not credited a full refund, it has charged one day price for that channel or bouquet. Sun Direct users were able to successfully drop a-la channels and bouquets but it is not clear if the 0-day lock-in period applies to curated packs.
DreamDTH spoke to Sun Direct users who have confirmed the change in the lock-in period. However, it is no clear yet whether the lock-in period also applies to curated packs and bouquets.
Vadivelan, a Sun Direct user confirmed the change. He commented
Yes Lock-In period has been removed! I checked using my connection. I added the channel same day and removed same day. No money was deducted, earlier same was not possible.
Another Sun Direct user confirmed the change as well
Subscribe/ Unsubscribe worked. When I subscribed BBC Earth HD via App, ₹10 got deducted from balance. After 30 minutes I deleted the channel via App, ₹9.66 was credited back. Rs 34 paise for 1 day deducted. The irritating point is, the channel did not get activated.
Another Sun Direct user Prasad B commented
Tried with broadcaster pack Star English HD pack, it is working. One day amount deducted. If we unsubscribe within a minute after activation, same amount ( one day price will be deducted).
The move to reduce the Lock-In period has gone down well with the Sun Direct subscribers.
Ram Vignesh, a Sun Direct user commented
Good move by Sun Direct
Venky, who after long 10 years with Sun Direct, had switched to Tata Sky said
Wow. This is great. Now it makes sense to use Sun Direct. Good move by Sundirect.
In the new tariff regime, customers are preferring DTH operators without a lock-in period and this is proven with data from TRAI in which Dish TV lost its 1st position in terms of subscribers base. Customers seem to be dropping or not joining Dish TV due to its heavy 30 days lock-in period. Sun Direct is aiming to become more consumer-friendly with the removal of the lock-in period.
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