Mobile operator Vodafone Qatar has announced the launch of Pocket TV, a mobile app with popular, live South Asian content. Customers will have exclusive access to a package of over 90 live TV channels and over 100 radio channels covering a wide range of interests including sports, movies, news and series. Among the channels are the Nepali-language NTV, Kantipur and AP1; Bengali-language BTV World, ATN Bangla and RTV; and Hindi-language channels BAU Movies, Star Utsav and Star Movies.

Customers have the choice of paying a flat fee for a day, a week or a month of access; these packages cost QAR 3.00 (US $0.82), QAR 15.00 (US $4.08) and QAR 45.00 (US $12.25) , respectively, without data charges. To celebrate the launch of Pocket TV, Vodafone customers are being offered a one-week free trial, available until 15 April.

Tarifica’s Take

This initiative from Vodafone Qatar shows how it is done in today’s mobile market when it comes to sensitively designed value-added content packages.

First off, the operator has targeted an appropriate, focused audience for its entertainment offering. South Asians have migrated to Qatar in such large numbers that they now account for almost half the population of this small country. Many are guest workers who are nostalgic for homes that they are not able to visit nearly as often as they would like. A rich, diverse entertainment offering is likely to have very strong appeal to this demographic.

The large size of the package is large (90 TV stations and 100 radio channels), coupled with the fact that several of the main South Asian languages are represented, boosts its attractiveness. But it is the exclusivity of the offering that should make the biggest difference for Vodafone. By offering content that none of the competitors in Qatar can, Vodafone places itself in a uniquely strong position with the South Asian population. And while it is a niche offering, the niche is such a large one that very significant numbers of subscribers can be expected to sign on, driving revenue to the operator.

Finally, the flat-fee structure of this offering should be attractive to budget-minded customers, who might balk at the large amounts of data that streaming entertainment content can require. The prices are affordable, and the three-tiered structure is well designed to meet most needs.