Promising viewers greater choice

Free television channels will become a thing of the past.

The world is shifting to pay channels. Advocates of pay-TV argue that viewer time has become more precious than ever and they have become very picky in the programmes they want.

They also say that the cost of producing TV programmes has risen, so that it is no longer feasible to offer them free of charge.

The World Cup is just an example of what will soon be the case for all popular programmes.
Pay-TV advocates predict that the mushrooming free-to-air satellite channels will be very limited in two years.

Viewers in the UAE can receive more than 300 free channels through digital technology with just Dh700 in installation costs.

But pay-TV advocates maintain these digital receivers will be useless, since most of the free channels will be encrypted in the very near future.

Channels defying the new trend will be obliged to screen old, unpopular programmes that will drastically reduce their viewers and subsequently, their advertisement income.

The UAE is not far from the international pay-to-view trend, despite the availability of more than seven local and satellite channels. None of these channels, including another 16 channels on Arabsat, are able to broadcast the World Cup matches.

Anticipating the needs of viewers in the UAE, Emirates Cable TV and Multimedia, E-Vision, was established to provide state-of-the-art audio-video and multimedia services through differentiated product offerings and superior customer service at affordable prices.

In an exclusive interview, Humaid Rashid Sahoo, Chief Executive Officer, E-Vision, paints a picture of the future of TV – as he sees it.

Question: Can you give us some background information about E-Vision and the services it offers?

Answer: E-vision was launched on April 15, 2000, as a cable TV service. The start was just with 39 channels.

The bouquet has been growing ever since, and more than 90 channels of national and international TV entertainment have been made available to its subscribers in the country.

The UAE is a small country in terms of population but at the same time, its economic and business success has made it the home of people representing 150 nationalities from all over the world.

Do you think that you will be able to address the needs of the different sectors and communities living in the emirates?

We are trying our best. The channels which are available to subscribers are broadcast in 14 different languages.

The programmes they screen range from movies to sports and documentaries to music. We are trying to cater to different types of viewers. The majority of our subscribers are expatriates coming from the Subcontinent – countries that appreciate good TV programmes and feel no harm in getting it for money.

As you might remember, the first cable TV company was launched in 1995 in Dubai. More than seven years later, the company had a small number of subscribers in one emirate.

What do you think about E-Vision and how do you see your market?

According to our market survey, the demand on the E-Vision services will grow steadily but strongly. The requirement of the market is to enhance our coverage area and the number of channels we are offering.

Our surveys indicate that we have to cater to three types of viewers: UAE nationals and Arabs, Asians, and Westerners. They represent different tastes and have different requirements. The UAE has between 500,000 and 600,000 household units – E-Vision has reached 130,000 units.

What is the rate of E-Vision penetration in the market? In other words how do you rate your success in luring new subscribers?

We offer a new service with a new concept to the region. The concept of pay TV is still very new. We can't measure E-Vision's success according to the number of subscribers. We have reached 130,000 houses in different emirates. This does not mean that the residents in these homes have subscribed to E-Vision. I can say that the number of subscribers is growing every month and events like the World Cup have enhanced the base of our subscribers.

What is the number of subscribers at this stage?

I prefer not to disclose the number of subscribers at this stage.

What are your special features?

E-Vision has a special interest in children and young people since they form the majority of TV viewers, according to our market surveys. There are two exclusive channels: E-Junior for kids and E-Xplor, E-Vision's documentary channel.

After extensive research into what both parents and children in the UAE wanted to watch, and when they wanted to watch it, E-Vision launched E-Junior in January 2001. E-Junior broadcasts a range of popular children's programmes, including exclusive new series from 10am to 9pm every day.

All the programmes have been handpicked for their appeal to children and to ensure they are sensitive to the requirements of parents in the UAE. E-Vision Channel 4 broadcasts E-Junior in English and E-Vision Channel 5 broadcasts E-Junior in Arabic as part of the E-Vision basic package.

While industry circles talk about interactive viewing, which means viewers will be able to watch their favourite programmes whenever and wherever they want, E-vision is still marketing the concept of cable vision?

E-vision is planning to add Pay Per View services and Broadband Interactive Multi-media Services, such as an Electronic Programme Guide and a games channel. We are trying to introduce up-to-date services as they became commercially available in the rest of the world. That is our mission and we are very much conscious of the development taking place in the world of communication.

E-Vision provides services of the highest quality using the latest digital technology – hybrid fiber coaxial cable.

E-Vision is available in many homes in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and is expected to be in Sharjah and the entire UAE in the future.

How do you rate E-Vision services at this stage of its development?

We are the largest cable TV provider in the region. We offer more channels than any other service provider in the area. E-vision is growing at a rate of four channels per month. We promise to give customers even greater choice and flexibility in the future.