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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". Page(s) 1
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