Tata Sky and Tata Sky Plus offering Worst Service. Review on Tata Play

I am a great fan of review sites and read them almost always as that gives real honest reviews of products and services straight from the consumers. This is the first time I am going to write something because I just could not stop the temptation to express myself to the world as no one from the team of TataSky is bothered to look into my issues.

I have been using TataSky since last 1 and a half years without much issues except some delay during initial installation. Some offer was going on when I took this connection and I had to pay just Rs1600/- including installation which used to be Rs1000/- and I was happy with the price. I was happy the day Tata Sky was installed at my home and I opted for the cheapest available package that time. Later I upgraded to Mega Pack for Rs5000/- for 1 year which allowed  me to see  all available channels on Tata Sky.

After few months Tata Sky Plus was lunched and I was excited about it much before it was lunched. It was lunched with a discount offer but unfortunately the discount offer was not available to new customers who took the original connection with a discount and I was one of them. I called customer care asking for any solution to this and they said I can take it paying full money instead without discount. Obviously I did not take it that time.

I upgraded from my old Philips 20" cathode ray black box to Panasonic 33 Inch LCD and I noticed somewhat blurred images. I thought something wrong with TV. Tried few DVDs with my philips DVD player and was amazed with the clarity and sharpness with the picture. Called TataSky several times as I suspected some transmission issue with my connection. After few days a service engineer came and confessed that this is the best available clarity with present technology and I am not supposed to expect anything more than that. So I had to live with it like every other Indian :).

One year passed and I renewed the mega pack by paying Rs5500/- this time (increased by Rs500). This was in March 2010. I was about 1 year 3 months old with TataSky. Things were running fine with me. I had no need to contact them because I paid for 1 year in advance and I knew I have to stay happy with the clarity I get.

On 1st June 2010 at about 1:30 PM while having lunch I got a call from Tata Sky sales division providing me information about an ongoing offer of TataSky plus for Rs5999 (Rs6K). I requested him to call me after 30 minutes and he did it exactly after 30 minutes and explained me how nice it would be for me if I go with the offer. I asked him about the installation timeline and he said it would be done by maximum 4 days and ideally 3 to 4 days. I was fine with it. By next 5 minutes I lost Rs5999/- from my credit card. I was still happy because I was told that no installation charge and I can use existing box as an extension service for a nominal fee.

Exactly on 4th day I received the black box called Tatasky plus through courier and when I asked him about installation he said it would be done tomorrow (i.e. on 5th Of June 2010). No one came till 5th evening. I then wrote to customer care through my online login with tata sky and  I was promptly sent an SMS stating the reference number "SR0506100332150. It also mentioned that my query would be responded by 6th June 2010 9PM. I was not very happy with this SMS but I hoped that next morning the installation would be done.

I got a call from a support guy on 6th evening. When I asked him about the reason for delay, he said I was supposed to call them after receiving the box. I was surprised to hear this as I never knew that I will have to call them. I requested him if he could get the installation completed the same day to which he said he will try but in any case he will make sure that it is done by next day morning. I still requested him to try for same day and said morning is also ok in case today is not possible. I notified them that I will not be home tomorrow but other members would be there and they can do the installation. He said anyone above 18 is fine. I received an SMS by next few minutes which said my installation is scheduled on 7th June 2010 at 12 Noon. I thought its ok.

I kept on waiting all day on 7th till evening and no one came. I again wrote to them and promptly got back an SMS saying I will get a response by 8th evening. I was surprised as I was expecting the installation guy on 7th itself and not a call on 8th evening. I was loosing my patience with the delay. I wrote to Tata Sky to cancel my order and refund my money and take back their device.

On 8th evening I received a call from service engineer. He asked me if any black box is to be installed at my place? I told him that I have been waiting for this since 5th and He was supposed to come yesterday. He game some stupid replies and I was not in a mood so stretch is further and I requested him if he could come right in the evening and install it? The TataSky enginner to all my surprise says that its late and their office is closed and no one is there. I thought of asking him that what for has he called if he cant work and office is closed. It was about 7PM that time. But I did not because I was already frustrated with the half hazard approach. He said he will come on 9th Morning instead and install it. Without asking for my convenience he asked for my location and put the phone down.

I was still waiting for a response from TataSky to my request email sent on 7th Night. I sent a follow up email and promptly got another SMS which said I will get response by 9th Night. LOL. I thought of lodging a consumer case against these lazy group. I was mentally disturbed by this time.

Its a very bad experience I had with Tata Sky. I have sent them a straight request for refund and I would dump my connection and would try some other one. Cant believe that it would take 10 days to install a simple DTH connection.

I thought I must share my experience on this 1st feedback post of my life which would give some insight to those who are planning to deal with these DTH companies.

Feedback and comments would be appreciated :).

Thank You

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UPDATE  - 9th June 2010 3:17 PM

Today morning at about 10:45 the local service engineer of Tata Sky calls me up to ask if I am home as they are near my home and want to install the black box. I said I am not home (as I was not home) but there are other members and they may do their duty. I got a call from my home an hour later confirming that installation is completed.

About  30 minutes later I got a call from TataSky confirming the installation and apologizing for the delay. She also said "Sir we are really sorry and we know you have written not to say sorry or apologize and we would therefore want to offer you a credit of Rs150/- to your account".

I must say I felt somewhat good with this. Rs150/- does not make any difference to me but it made me feel  that at least that they are not deaf and they do listen to customer grievance. Its basically the local technician who had goofed up his job. Anyways I agreed to the offer and they credited the amount and sent me a mail about the same.