Vibhu Agarwal Ventilates User Perception Towards OTT Platforms In India

The players in this strategic category have begun to compete for distinction. Global market expansion is a strategy used by businesses to increase customer share. A larger database of entertainment content regionalised programming, and programme differentiation is just a few of the strategies used by service providers to persuade more people to use their services. Vibhu Agarwal, the Founder and Group CEO of ULLU and Atrangii App throws light on the consumer perspection of OTT and its acceptance over traditional services.

"Traditionally, customers view television through cable or satellite. Since high-speed internet has become more accessible, they now choose to watch it online. Online streaming, commonly referred to as Over-the-Top (OTT) media, has emerged as a competitive option to pay television," says Vibhu Agarwal, the Group CEO of ULLU App.

OTT has revolutionised consumer viewing experience like never before. ULLU App, launched in December 2018, now has more than 10 million downloads on Google's Play Store. "Lockdowns, growing access to smartphones and the emergence of high-speed internet are factors that have contributed to the expansion of the ULLU App. We offer the cheapest subscription plans in the market, starting from Rs. 36 for a week up to Rs. 198 for a year. The variety of plans make sure that we provide offers for every type of audience," Vibhu AgarwalGroup CEO of ULLU Appadds. Unlike other OTT services, ULLU uses a partnership approach rather than hiring producers to create content. On the basis of a revenue-sharing arrangement, the producers collaborate with the platform.

Notably, the expansion of the DTH-TV subscriber base has lowered significantly. Although there may be other contributing causes, the rise of (Over the Top) OTT services has had a detrimental effect on DTH membership rates. Due to intense competition in the market, OTT network providers are offering users both engaging content and affordable subscription options.

Talking about the rivalry between DTH and OTT, we should consider the fact that there are technologies available that allow the same material to be consumed in numerous ways. It is only natural for the user to have the choice of selecting which of these platforms is best for them. The option of OTT is extremely limited because roughly two-thirds of the Indian population do not actively use the Internet. Because there are still many active cable competitors in the market that have spread their services across the nation, even DTH has not completely eliminated the cable connection. Therefore, they cannot be considered outdated.

Even though DTH still has the potential to gain traction with time, the distribution of OTT platforms will expand due to internet access and cheap subscription. While there's no doubt that OTT platforms are on the rise, India's vast population also has space for a large number of DTH users. One service may eventually surpass the other, but for the time being, both remain competitive in the Indian market.