BSNL launches multiplay services in Pune

Pune, Mar 15 (UNI) Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) today launched its multiplay content services for its Broadband customers in the city that would make available 100+ Digital TV Channels and Video-on-Demand (movies, drama, education, and world space radio).

Inaugurating the service, Chairman and Managing Director BSNL, A K Sinha said the year 2007 is being celebrated as the 'Year of Broadband'. With this launch, the BSNL has added value to its service under franchisee arrangement with M/s Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Ltd under partnership with M/s Divinet. The project has also been supported by CSIR under their prestigious project for National Development of Globally Competitive 'Triple Play' Boardband technology.

In the year 2007, being observed as the 'Year of Broadband', BSNL has initiated massive expansion of broadband networking throughout the country. This year BSNL would deploy five million additional wire line broadband connections including about two million in rural areas, covering about 1,000 cities/towns and 20,000 villages. BSNL is also planning to deploy wireless broadband in rural areas covering 1,000 blocks. It has already launched Games-on-Demand service for broadband customers. The service would soon be extended to other cities of the country.

To a query about the costs, Sinha said it would work out more or less in the range of 250 plus taxes, the charges would be less than the monthly subscription to a cable with the advantage that most of the pay channels have been included in it.

Earlier, former DG, CSIR, Dr R A Mashelkar said people can begin to look at Pune city as a multimedia hub as the interactive services are witnessing the convergence of technologies taken forward by private public partnership.

UNI