Samart Corporation is pursuing a bundle-pricing strategy in what it claims to be the industry’s first creative promotional packages in order to grab a major share of the 15-billion-baht digital set-top box market.
A vending van carrying digital TV set-top boxes and antennas is one efficient distribution tool Samart plans to utilise in accessing consumers in small communities.
The communication equipment maker aims to realise 2 billion baht from set-top box revenue over the next few months, selling 2 million set-top boxes plus 2 million antennas.
Samart rolled out a slew of its set-top box lines yesterday priced at 690 baht a piece.
Set-top boxes for terrestrial digital TV will help viewers see clearer pictures under the digital TV broadcasting standard.
President Watchai Vilailuck said an increasing number of people were hunting for the best possible quality of set-top boxes, foreshadowing a booming market over the final few months of the year.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) is on the verge of mailing digital set-top box subsidy vouchers, valued at 690 baht each, to 14.1 million households nationwide, starting Monday.
The regulator has already distributed vouchers to 500,000 households in four provinces: Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Ayutthaya and Suphan Buri.
Homeowners are expected to use the vouchers to buy the boxes, which are made by various companies and offered at a wide range of prices, though mostly 690 baht.
Residents can also use the vouchers to buy a new TV set, paying the difference depending on the model they choose.
Mr Watchai said he was confident of achieving the company’s sales target because of its product quality and promotional packages.
Customers who purchased a Samart set-top box can use the voucher for a discount of 690 baht on an iMobile phone. Customers will also receive an additional 690 baht discount when they sign up for a prepaid or postpaid tariff package with mobile operator DTAC.
Samart has around 1,000 contact points nationwide plus 500 after-sales centres.
Mr Watchai acknowledged the company’s sales target for set-top boxes had been affected by a three-month delay in distribution of the coupons.
However, he believes the NBTC’s coupon distribution process will accelerate, driving the market for set-top boxes over the next few months.
Mr Watchai added sales of digital TV-related devices, such as digital TV sets and tablets with digital-TV tuners, looked set to prosper because of the launch of digital TV channels and subsidy coupons.
Samart has produced some 9.6 million set-top boxes to supply the market. An additional 800,000 boxes are awaiting approval by the NBTC.
The NBTC recently reported imports of tablets with digital TV-tuners totalled 2 million units this year. Another 1 million tablets are pending approval. Up to 90% of the total has been imported by Samart I-Mobile, the handset distributor of Samart.