New Delhi
May 3rd, 2007

Bharti Airtel has partnered with UTStarcom to leverage technology support for launching IPTV services in the national capital by this year-end. Sources in the industry informed that UTStarcom would be offering the technology assistance to Bharti to launch IPTV services. Airtel is currently offering IPTV services to its broadband subscribers in Delhi and NCR region.

"They are already conducting trials in around 100 households in Gurgaon and the technology support is being offered by UTStarcom," the source informed. The company is planning to offer 150 channels for its IPTV services in Delhi and NCR by the year-end.

According to Sriram, VP- Technology, Bharti Airtel, the Telco plans to commercially launch its services in the national capital region within this year. "We are already carrying out the IPTV trials with our broadband subscribers. This is on a trial phase now, which will be commercially available to our customers by December," he said.

Unlike Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL), which had launched its IPTV services last year and launched 20 channels, Bharti is planning to launch it in a big way. MTNL has tie up with around 20 channels through the franchisee model. However, Sriram said that they would directly tie up with the TV channels to offer more than 150 channels.

When asked about the investment being mad by the company, Sriram denied revealing the figures and said, "The investment is significant".

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