BSNL launches IPTV services

State owned BSNL launched interactive personalised television and video services, (IPTV) in Haryana on Wednesday. The service will be initially available in Gurgaon, Ambala and Faridabad in association with Smart Digivision Pvt Ltd. Speaking on the occassion BSNL chairman and managing director, Kuldeep Goyal said that the service would be expanded to cover more than more than one lakh subscribers by March.

According to BSNL the launch of its IPTV offering will revolutionise home telivision entertainment as it would offer customers the convenience of watching programs from more than 140 channels. BSNL siad it has also packed in other goodies with the offering by way of an extensive movie library of Bollywood and Hollywood movies at no extra cost.
 
The newly launched service enables customers accessing the internet through a BSNL connection and a Smart Digivision set-top box to connect to a set of interactive personalized features via their home telivision. Smart services are interactive and personalized television service provided to subscribers through telephone lines that allow the viewer access to 140 channels according to their convenience the company said.

Customers can also get video, games and eduction on demand. The next phase will offer more features sucha as the ability to pause live TV,  personalized stock ticker and scheduled recording. The new offering features services like `Video on Demand' - a full catalogue all time favourite movies, programmes, and special features.

The 'Education on Demand' feature offers learning tools along with a set of age and subject-based instructional programmes on television. Additionally it also offers services like "Games on Demand'' and "Parental Controls'' over the programmes.

According to Goyal, the company is targetting 30lakh broadband connections every year which will also promote the IPTV serivce. He added that IPTV's unique two-way capability adds a new dimension to the viewing experience and at the same time gives choice, variety and flexibility to the custormers. He said that IPTV is generations ahead of currently available cable and DTH services.

BSNL and MTNL have signed long term contracts with Smart Digivision Pvt Ltd, a division of The Smart TV Group  for providing co-branded interactive video services to subscribers in 54 large cities across India.