BSNL launches IPTV in Bangalore

Bangalore, July 30: The city ushered in another unique innovation to its IT-savvy population, with the introduction of IPTV offered by India Online Broadband and BSNL.

BSNL Karnataka Circle Chief General Manager T S Kuppuswamy made a soft launch of the new technology that would become a full-fledged service from August 15, after fine tuning some minor glitches.

Mr Kuppuswamy told newspersons that the service would be available to all broadband customers within a two km range initially in view of the technical problem in carrying the signals beyond that range.

However, most of the major exchanges have dense broadband connectivity and servicing would not be a problem.

Bangalore had nearly 1.3 lakh broadband connections and the number was expected to grow further when a capacity of around three lakhs would be added after the Network Operation Centre, coming up in the city, becomes operational in September, he added.

IPTV had been launched in Mumbai by MTNL and in Pune by BSNL.

However, the services offered in Bangalore, which had the second largest broadband connectivity for BSNL, would put to test the IPTV reach in view of certain technical glitches seen in the first two centres where the service was yet to stabilise.

IOL Broadband Vice-President N Ramesh told UNI that in Mumbai and Pune, around 1,500 connections have been given in a month. In Bangalore, the company aimed at capturing 30 to 40 per cent of the market operated by BSNL. The service would be slowly extended to other metros like Kolkata and Chennai. IOL broadband had invested Rs five crore for the infrastructure of the service here.

The main feature of BSNL IPTV would be video on demand with 40 movies available during the introductory period. Users could have reception akin to a DVD.

IOL Broadband was the first company to launch IPTV in the country. Mr Ramesh said IPTV would open a new chapter in the TV entertainment industry in the country and the benefit would go to subscribers who would get more control in their hands on TV content, compared to DTH or Conditional Access System.

The monthly subscription would be Rs 150 and an additional Rs 100 would be charged if the subscriber opted for a rented Set Top Box, which would cost Rs 3,950. In addition, an installation and activation charge of Rs 889 would be levied. For Video on demand, four categories of charge ranging from Rs ten to Rs 80 would be levied.

UNI