BSNL to roll out IPTV in Chandigarh

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BSNL to roll out IPTV in Chandigarh
Tuesday - Sep 02, 2008

The viewer is king and such is the feeling ushered in by Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) that holds out the promise of completely changing the world of couch potatoes. By September-end, BSNL is committed to bring to Chandigarh this technology touted to be cheaper than cable TV and direct-to-home services.

Besides an array of 100 channels, IPTV, that requires a set-top box (STB), caters for recalling serials you have missed, recording a programme for later viewing and the facility of video on demand (VOD). VOD permits a customer to browse through a film catalogue and watch trailers before making a pick. To be initiated by BSNL, Reliance too plans to jump into the bandwagon by next year.

"The launch was finalized in a meeting of BSNL telecom advisory committee held last week. With our exchanges in Chandigarh, Panchkula, Mohali and Kharar equipped with broadband, residents will have no problem to start off with IPTV as set-top boxes will also be provided by a company that has collaborated with BSNL for the same," said an BSNL official.

Brushing aside criticism about poor services in other sectors, Naresh Sharma, general manager, telecom, BSNL, Chandigarh, said, "We are launching it in collaboration with a high-tech company and customers will experience the best-ever service that will certainly change their attitude towards us."

Promising to keep rent and service charges at a low, Sharma added, "We are working on finalizing the tariff which will be the cheapest in the industry." If customers want to discontinue the service, they will have to surrender the STB to BSNL.

With competition naturally coming, both cable and DTH services seem to have worn a wait-and-watch attitude. Stating it was too early to talk of slashing rates, Sandeep Bansal of an leading cable company said, "Let them finalize the tariff and start the service."

Likewise, Rajnish of Tata Sky maintained, "It can be a challenge, but as of now, we provide the best services in the industry. So, let customers decide for themselves."

IPTV is a system where a digital television service is provided through broadband connection. TV content, instead of being delivered through traditional broadcast and cable formats, is received by the viewer through a set-top box.

http://www.televisionpoint.com/news2008/...1220346037

[Dish]

That's great news for them.