Cable TV facility to MTNL, BSNL subscribers proposed

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

New Delhi, Dec 6 (UNI) Public sector telecom operators Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) have proposed to provide Cable TV facility in the country through broadband, the government informed the Lok Sabha today.

In a written reply, Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Shakeel Ahmad said MTNL had launched Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) in Delhi and Mumbai in October this year, which would enable broadband customers of MTNL to avail this service.

In the case of BSNL, he said it had floated an Expression of Interest (EOI) for provision of IPTV and other content-based services to its broadband customers through franchise route on a non-exclusive, revenue share basis.

Dr Ahmad said though the priority for initial rollout is planned to be major cities, services are to be rolled out in all cities falling in BSNL's area of operation for which franchisees agreement has already been signed for service delivery in Pune, Bangalore and Chennai.

He further informed the Lower House that IPTV of MTNL is a value added service under basic service licence, and for BSNL it will be done through franchisee route on a non-exclusive, revenue-sharing basis.

The capacity of MTNL is 5.2 lakh lines of broadband ports which can provide IPTV services. However, being a latest technology, there is a difficulty in availability of set top boxes required to deliver IPTV service and steps have been taken to make this service available.

BSNL has not launched this service commercially. The time frame set by BSNL in the EOI is six months from the date of signing of agreement.

UNI SKS RP GC1708

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