Topup Tv Users

[joncl]

TopUp TV (the Thai satellite provider) users nationwide will have noticed this afternoon that the following channels have been turned off;

Australia Network

NatGeo Wild

Fox Crime

They say it will be back in one months time and will either credit us or extend the time on our little yellow boxes for one month. As per the message of your TV's, if enough people call the help desk on 02.735.4000 they will turn it back on (or so the lady said).

[joncl]

Sorry forgot to add this;

[shaunoro]

I take it this is Pirate TV, with no licensed progarmming of broadcast professionals doing the upgrade.

[joncl]

I take it this is Pirate TV, with no licensed progarmming of broadcast professionals doing the upgrade.

No, you take it very wrong indeed. Have you not seen the small yellow dishes all over Thailand, I guess not.

Anyway who cares, I just thought I would let those who use their service know what was going on, silly me

[Prasert]

This is the last explanation I received. It all comes down to 1 thing: they're not improving anything but they're about to go bankrupt. So, bye bye Australian Network, Fox Crime and Nat Geo Wild.

Subject: Top up TV reduced Pay TV channels

Dear Top up TV customer,

As we have been lunched Top up TV platform with 40+ channels during the past year to help create an alternative market for Thai family to have good quality content including 8 quality channels plus other Free View channels at the most reasonable price 199 and 299 baht per month (regular 499 baht per month).

During the past year, there are a lot of new comers on free to air channels that create the false demand on free TV rather than Pay TV. We expected that free to air environment will be around for at least 2-3 years before it will be switch to Pay TV market similar to other countries. With this reason that makes us having less number of subscription than what we expected and this effected our investment.

We realized that Top up TV need more investment than what we planned. To save the whole platform 40+ channels of Top up TV, we decided to close down 5 satellite channels Pay TV as Real Metro, Fox Crime, Nat Geo Wild, Australia Network, Busaba Café channel and still maintaining Samrujlok and Next Step Television. These 2 channels gain advertising revenue not subscription revenue. We are still look for the possibility to save Music Lifestyle Channel as long as we can. As of today, Music Lifestyle is still operated up until the end of December 31, 2009. However, we are working to find the way to maintain this channel longer. You are still receiving other free to air channels as usual and we will add more channels from time to time.

We admit that creating the knowledge based or good quality content (Pay TV) similar to other developing countries are not easy in Thailand, especially, with private fund. In the next 6-7 months from now, we are working closely with our financial advisor to raise the new fund to reinvest on our operation once again.

If you could wait up until that time, we will be very happy to have you with us. For the mean time, we will extend the subscription duration for you which will be calculated for each individual customer. In the future, if we are back on full package of premium channels, we will recalculate back to the new cost which will be declared at that time. However, you will have the privilege or special deal from us.

If you decide to the stop the service, you can do so. Please let us know which option would you like to choose by email us at [email protected] or contact our call center at 02 735 4000, daily 8:30-20:00 hours but will be service only in Thai language.

We apologize for this inconvenience. We will try our best to get back on the full service as soon as possible. If you would like to complain or contact me for any enquiry, you are welcome to do so. Please contact me at [email protected] in the subject Attention-Amornphat.

Best Regards,

Amornphat Chomrat

Managing Director of Next Step Company Limited

6.12.09