PTCL Smart TV Vs Local Cable Operators

PTCL launched its multiple times delayed, long awaited IPTV project with the brand name ‘PTCL SMART TV’, around 2 years ago. PTCL’s IPTV is largely considered as milestone in achieving the next generation technology for broadcasting TV channels over IP i.e. Internet Protocol on high streams.

In the start, PTCL offered IPTV services on fibre, off course due to bandwidth fluctuations on the copper and later on it is also been offered on copper as well.

As per (un-firmed) internal reports, PTCL Smart TV has around 11,000 customers – as of now.

PTCL SMART TV is equipped with 125 channels covering religious, news, infotainment, entertainment, sports, music, movies, some regional and non-regional channels with digital video broadcasting. Out of 125, most of the channels are covering local Pakistani channels – almost in every category.

While watching TV, you will definitely feel the difference among usual cable broadcast and PTCL SMART TV broadcast.

IPTV Charges:

In a complete SMART TV Package, PTCL gives IPTV STB (SET TOP BOX), XDSL MODEM, remote control and manuals. It costs Rs.500 / month for STB as an installment, however full payment facility of Rs.10000/- is also available for one-time payment of IPTV STB.

Additionally, per month charges of Rs.300 are also deducted in usual PTCL phone bill – this is rental for IPTV services.

If we sum up the charges of DSL and SMART TV, then every single user who is facilitated with PTCL DSL and PTCL SMART TV has to pay Rs.2000/ month (fixed amount) for DSL and SMART TV only. (Rs. 1,200 for DSL, Rs. 300 for monthly rental of IPTV services and Rs. 500 for installation of STB)

In case you have paid Rs. 10,000 for STB in one go, then single user has to pay only Rs.1500/- per month for both services.

Challenges from Local Cable Operators

PTCL IPTV is still growing and a lot is needed to improve in a steadiness. For instance, you just look at the cable TV market of Pakistan, recently, digital cable services have been launched and now cable TV service providers are offering 200+ channels on digital Set Top Box (STB).

The competitive price that is available to customers for using digital cable TV services is about 4500/- as an initial payment for STB and later on Rs.300 as cable TV line rent.

Indeed, it is a threat for IPTV, when talked about the number of channels and prices that are available in local cable TV market.

PTCL IPTV also needs to improve its channels’ type and base, to compete with local digital cable TV competitors, as end user will definitely analyze the benefits that a competitive market has to offer.

Additionally, PTCL IPTV had only 3 PTCL operated Movies Channels, which broadcast movies in genre of Classic, Comedy and Action/Drama. PTCL never plays newly released movies, for all the genres, however, they are ad-free unlike cable TV operators.

Action Items:

  • Increase in Number of Channels.
  • Decrease in rates to respond competitive cable TV market.
  • PTCL Operated movies channels need to improve its playlist
  • Video on Demand channels need improvements in its playlist to offer latest movie releases.
  • Wherever PTCL goes, service issues remain there; Company must overhaul the complaint resolution structure and methodologies.

Conclusion:

PTCL has indeed added value to the market by offering such services to end users., But with that content selection will multiply the value and the profits.

PTCL IPTV also enjoys the competitive edge as cable TV market is already saturated (particularly in urban areas).


  • but no information about long awaited DTH in pakistan
    when well have aur first dth im not intrusted in iptv or digital cable because there reach is limited think about people living in remote areas
    i think 1 million illegal dishtv conection active in pakistan
    where is pemra?
    Indian dth companies are earning millions from pakistan
    and we are in just in a pipeline
    for god sake
    my request to blogers please write something about it
    reality bites thank u for your efort and aamir ata bhai waiting for your post about dth

  • sadly, i have seen dis grunted customers, service both of IPTV and customer support is awful.
    i have experienced Digital scrambling alot like on satellite channels.. unfortunately this also suffers.. but when that happens, no one at PTCL would come to your rescue, before the match you are dying to see.. ends..

    IPTV though have supperior picture and voice, no doubt .. but un reliability makes it a No for me..

  • PTCL has the worst Customer Service. you have to wait normally 7-9 days for a normal telephone complaint resolution, imagine you are using telephone,DSL,SmartTV on same line and all gone dead, no one to respond, taste of Hell :P

  • yes i agree with kafeel I to use Indian dish tv i request to pemra please lunch Pakistan Dth service

  • Cable say mahnga hai…??? how come? only STB makes a bit expensive rest is only 126Rs for TV…174Rs are line rent….its cheap and gud in quality….it has potential….and quite advance too! article nyc written!

  • Very true kafil. Im also waiting for DTH in pakistan. Pemra nain license day dia hai ary ya ptv ko lekan abi tak pipe line main hai project. Mana kafi investment chaheye lekan bangladesh ko b dehken wo b jald launch kr raha hai. Sirlanka jaesay mulk main b dth hai. I REQUEST Qamar zaman sab Information ministor plz ap he apnay dour main ye tohfa day jayen pehlay durani aur sheikh to batain kar k chalay gaye

  • PTCL is actually not so expensive.as MazharRizvi says it only costs Rs.126, but what you got is DVD like quality of picture and sound, time shifit facility on different channels (you can rewind, pause the chanels)and its also true that you are getting three service (Voice, Data and Video)on same line but you must remember that PTCL has designated seprate team to address the triple play complaints. I have IPTV service and PTCL aftersale service is just a phone call away if you know the proper way.

  • OH MY LOGO THIS IS TRUE CABLE IS THE CHEAPEST FROM ALL THE SRVICES IN THE WORLD AND DIGITAL CABLE HAVE THE POWER TO PROVIDE 1000 CHANNELS ON THEIR CUREENT NETWORKS INFACT THEIR IS NO OTHER TECNOLOGY WHICH CAN DELEVER 1000 CHANNELS AND IPTV IS A BIG FALIURE BECAUSE YOU CANT HAVE SMART TV WITH OUT DSL AND PEOPLE WHO DONT USE NET WHAT WILL THEY PAY FOR THE MATTER WILL COME TO VOLET

  • Friends stay away from PTCL Smart TV. After reading this article I applied for PTCL smart tv and got a connection after 10 days. Since its installation it is not working. They guy who installed told us that there is a peblem with the cable. so complain on 1218 and get it fixed and than IPTV will work. Line man came and checked the line and in 1 minute and said” Line is OK problem is with Smart TV, complain on 1218 for IPTV. So I am continiously chasing both, one day line man comes and after one minute he repeats the same, second day IPTV technition comes and after 1 minute of check says IPTV is OK problem is with the line.
    I have complained 17 times on 1218, 2 times direct to the exchange and support from exchange is most interesting “Bring your IPTV box to exchange, sign the closing form and just close your connection if it is not working”
    If this is the quality of service provided by PTCL in F11 Sector of Islamabad than you can imagine what will be quality and support in other cities. As I can not afford to miss semi final matches of T20 Cup so I have installed the local cable wala connection @350/month . No doubt very bad quality picture but at least it works.

  • Yar does Ptcl smart tv works on HDTVs, i am not talking about HD transmission, i have heard that normal cable transmission does not work right on hdtvs, i.e. the picture over stretches, but i have seen that dish tv works fine on hdtv, so does any body have a ptcl smart tv on a hd tv? and how does it works….

  • Salman,

    PTCL Smart TV is not working my normal Sony Bravia 40″ so how it will work on HDTV ?

    Try something else …

  • Salman,

    It is not working because of poor quality of signals. Picture is stopping and scrambling continiously because of bad signals. It is worst in prime times. PTCL never resolve the complain as I have made 20 complains in 20 days. Smart TV can not work until they improve their cabling network and that is in the hand of lineman mafia and PTCL have no control on linemen.

  • SALAM TO ALL,

    YARO MUJHAY YE TO BATAO K MAIN SMART TV KA CONNECTION APNAY 3 TV PAR KESAY DIVIDE KAR SAKTA HOON.

    PLEASE MAUJHAY YE ZAROOR BATAO MAIN INTEZAR KAR RAHA HOON.

    • agar smart tv ke aik box se aik se ziada tv chalaye ja sakeen gey tu PTCL waley kaisey kamaien gey bhai. so ye mumkin naheen like other digital tv services…

  • same question as Tuqee did, how can i add more then 1 tv, actually i have four tv’s in my family and i want to share this connection with all, is it easy? and what is the effect on result after sharing? can anyone had experience, pls help

  • if its cost is less, then good for all. Ptcl will earn more. Because local cable providers are giving more channels in less price.

  • i have both ptcl smart tv and cable ptcl smart is better in quality and its on time ie cable tv is atleast 6 hours behind the original u can also revind etc and watch movies on ptcl smart but its drawback is that it doesnt works continuously for more than 30 mins u have to connect it again and again

  • Please please dont be inspired with smart TV ptcl installs the Tv but never check back the problems I have got smart tv in hyderabad after 15 days of my order and after four days it has gone after 30 complaints smart tv technician came and said there is a problem from islamabad after savral emails no responce from concerned officials.
    PTCL has very good and nice products with very worst customer services

    • As sajid and kamran shahid have mentioned that Customer support services are really very very pathetic. I am passing through this agony since three years of installing DSL in mirpurkhas. As kamran said that lineman says line is ok in one min and dsl people say dsl is ok and both requests to reply in affirmative when the confirmation call from islamabad comes, it is rather annoying to complain than bearing the agony, useless telephone calls and annoying repeated questions believe me like that ur dsl light is blinking or stable? sir i am not in the room where the dsl is, dsl is in separate room and i am sure it is blinking constantly or stable but net is not connecting(internet light is off) as i was in the room for three hours. They say go to the room and call from ur mobile as we cant solve ur problem without knowing actual current position!!!!!( Hats off to PTCL that in this technological age they need to have such stupid sequence of questions)

  • Question: Can you install PTCL IPTV (Smart TV) and forget about normal cable TV?
    The answer would certainly be NO, PTCL IPTV service is so much problematic that no one would uninstall local cable tv. So that proves IPTV is not reliable from PTCL.

    This is only because PTCL has worst worst worst and WORST customer support services. If you drop a complaint, without any action they keep asking you through automated system that (press 1 if you problem has been resolved)… such lazy no good haramkhor support staff.

  • same same problem. Nobody is fixing my osmart tv from the past 3 months. im giving the device back

  • ptcl ko chaheye k wo koi satallite dth compny ko lanch kar de s se ye hoga k har jagha log s ko dek sakey ghe. aur signal b achey honge banisbat ptcl smart tv k. aur pakistan key elava aur b country main log dehk sakey ge. aur s se ptcl ko paida b bohut hoga q k costamor bohut honge.

  • There are two type of Channels on PTCL Smart TV
    1- SD channels
    2- HD Chanels

    Standard Definition channels need less bandwaitdh, like 2 to 3 Mb/s and High Definition Channels need higher bandwidth like 7 to 8 MB/s atleast.

    If you can not see HD channels on HDTV then please check your bandwaidth requiremnt from customer adn ask them how many HD and how many SD channels are their in their package.

    Normally, HD channels are premeium channels and you need to pay extra for them as same is happeneing in rest of the world.

    Smart TV currently offers BTV,VOD,TSTV,NVOD, VAS services. IPTV is still in its eveolving stage and it will take time for IPTV in Pakistan to fully get mature.

    From network infrastructure, to technology, to customer support, everything matters in this field.

    We hope for the better and advance future for Pakistan. Indeed IPTV is the next generation technology and we should embrace it as quickly as possible.

    Anyway, PTCL should pay attention on its customer service as 90% complaints can not be treated becasue of untrained technicians. These staff is trained for copper lines and DSL and not for IPTV. PTCL should arrange more trainings for their staff and make a move to FTTH deployment throughout the country.

    New era is very fast. No longer the big fisg eats small fish but faster fish eats slower fish, so be fast with rest of the world.

  • I am hardly 500m arial distance from the Exchange and I go thru hell as far as the the PTCL IPTV is concerned. I have had the copper pair changed but no vail. The router keeps on reconnecting during peak hours. The line man says the issue is with the DSL backend and DSL ppl cannot be reached. Watching Video ON Demand is nearly impossible. Everytime the router restarts you have forward the movie and find the point where you left it. If you rewind a program there is a frams loss/flicker. PTCL people have accepted this as a problem. I have this issue for more than a year and I am only 500m from the F-11 Islamabad Exchange. I think PTCL should invest in Customer Support instead of heavy and expensive adds.
    Why am I still on IPTV ? This is because I can block the channels. I can choose what my kids see. Above all no indian channels…that most of the cable operatores still show

  • ptcl mehanga hai, lekin hamare paisey bhi toh awsul honge, kabhi tv ki light nai jaegi, hum pause aur record bhi kar sakte hain smart tv main, aur quality HD hogi, 125+ channels honge,
    aur kya chahiye
    I am agree with PTCL Smart TV

  • Ptcl provide very good services……i dnt face any kind of prob……now using dsl,iptv and some other pakages…..thr is no problem in my setup frm d date of installation 222 till nw….:))

  • DishTV INDIA is better all of them. And it is legal to watch DishTV INDIA in Pakistan. Because its Indian Company. Dish tv gives 200 plus channels like STAR PLUS, STAR ONE, COLORS, SONY TV etc.

  • cant do that, i got three tv sets in my home, means i need three separate connections. means too much money i have to pay.

  • hi
    sir i just want to run of play 13 chennel on my smart tv due to domestic problem and i want block for my home 100 cheenels. may i can do or not

  • Sorry to say but i have the same issue, the complaint/support services are very poor…

    DO NOT GO FOR PTCL SAMRT TV EVER…LOCAL CABLE IS MUCH BETTER THEN PTCK SMART TV…\

    Thanks

  • I got smart tv 1st month i dont have any problem next month my smart tv dont works i compliants many times but no one come fix the problem i also visited 2 time F-11 exchange but the problem is still remain i had this problem 24 days. they have hidden charges ist time installation charges 2500rs .vvvvvvvvv poor customer services now i am going to close my connection and go for nayatel it has hd channels you can divide into four conection it is better

  • [0812445124] meni ptcl smart tv lagaya hi mera chinal bhoot kam ara ha hi moji sary chinal go bi chinall hi prahim ki gei [mob][ 03318015692]/jawab zaror cahiy

  • [0812445124] SAMRT TV EVER…LOCAL CABLE IS MUCH BETTER THEN PTCl SMART TV DishTV INDIA is better all channels add me channels like STAR PLUS, STAR ONE, COLORS, SONY TV etc. iam local man nit for home[mob] 03318015692

  • salam brothers,
    can anyone tell me that , whether the channels on IPTV is buffered then played or played normally like in normal cable tv…
    please reply me i will be waiting………………

  • Guyz plz help me, i have ptcl dsl of 4mbps but when i installed smarttv(with set top box) i am now getting only 1mbps, i have lodged over 100 complaints but problem is not being solved , has anyone experienced this problem? plz any network expert help me regarding this issue, i think there is a problem in router settings

  • مضمون میں بہت سی غلطیاں ہیں۔ چینل کی تعداد اب 150 ہے۔ بنیادی پیکج میں 750 روپے میں ایک ایم بی براڈبینڈ کے ساتھ لامحدود ملک بھر میں فون کالیں ملتی ہیں۔ اس کے ساتھ 49 روپے ماہوار سے لیپ ٹاپ پر سمارٹ ٹی وی مل جاتا ہے۔ اگر چار ایم بی براڈ بینڈ کنیکشن ہو تو سمارٹ ٹی وی لیپ ٹاپ پر مفت مل جاتا ہے۔

  • PTCL smart tv is a flop. I am using their tv app and I know this. NO matter what they say about their quality but the fact is their service is always down. Time for them to upgrade servers and move over to FTH instead of using dsl via copper cables which break down often and have issues with noise.

  • when i use to live in cantt and now in defence, i use smart tv both times and still using it but to be honest (in my opinion) smart tv is a waste of money service is poor although they are better in quality rather than local cable operator. I am using worldcall HD tv box, their quality and service is awesome and i am totally satisfied. They play new movies and most channels are foriegn channels and pakistani channels. Charges are basically very attractive (500 rupees per quarter) and 4000 for one time for HD stb


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