Updated: Bharti's Dth Service Launched - Airtel Digital

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Infosys Tech, Bharti Airtel tie up for DTH services

Source: The Hindu Business Line

BANGALORE: Bharti Airtel, an integrated telecom services provider, on Wednesday announced entering into an innovation and technology partnership with Infosys Technologies Ltd to deliver superior experience to the customers of Airtel digital TV, its Direc t-to-Home TV service.

As part of its digital convergence platform, Infosys will provide a suite of products including devices, application servers and interactive applications that will focus on providing an enhanced digital lifestyle to Airtel digital TV customers.

In a statement, Infosys Technologies said, TV-viewers will now be able to access local city information through interactive applications such as iCity, enjoy hassle-free internet-like experience on their televisions with iNet and get live and personalize d stock quotes, breaking news, horoscopes, cricket scores and shopping deals in the city without interrupting their TV-viewing experience.

Also, Airtel digital TV customers will have select websites packaged suitably for TV-viewing, in an application called tPortal.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Atul Bindal, President - Telemedia Services, Bharti Airtel said, “Airtel is delighted to partner with Infosys to offer cutting-edge interactive applications on Airtel digital TV - its DTH TV service. This is in line with Air tel's commitment to innovate and deliver the best technology available to its customers. Through this partnership with Infosys, Airtel aims to revolutionize the TV-viewing experience and usher in the future oftelevision into the country.''

Commenting on the uniqueness of the underlying technology, Mr. S D Shibulal, Chief Operating Officer, Infosys said, “At Infosys, we are focused on helping our clients compete effectively by creating a distinct product experience for their customers. The Airtel digital TV is an example of this focus. The technology platform that powers Airtel digital TV brings the potential that computers offer to our television sets in addition to entertainment, it is now possible to experience interactive information s ervices and engage in transactions using regular TVs. This technology also makes it possible to have a converged consumer experience across devices like televisions, computers, smart mobile phones and digital music players. The availability of these serv ices in the Indian market marks a significant milestone - the transformation of the idiot box into a smart box.”

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Airtel Digital TV to focus on South India

Source: Televisionpoint.com

The four south Indian states will be the major focus area for Bharti Enterprises in its direct-to-home (DTH) business. Though the company has rolled out its DTH operations on a pan-India basis, it is banking heavily on the south Indian states to achieve a leadership position.

Speaking to Televisionpoint.com, Manoj Kohli, chief executive officer and joint managing director, Bharti Airtel, says, "We have leadership position in telecom space in four southern states of India. This gives us an added advantage in our DTH business as well. We would definitely replicate our telecom success story in south India in the DTH space."

Bharti has launched its DTH service – Airtel Digital TV, on October 9. To start with, the services would be available in 62 cities across the country. Airtel's DTH service will offer 175 channels and will be distributed to its potential customers through 21,000 retail points including Airtel relationship centres. To leverage the south Indian markets, the company is working special tariff plans and is also making efforts to customise its services.

"The DTH service will add a new dimension to our existing product portfolio and is a major step towards transforming Airtel from just a telecom brand to a lifestyle enabler. The launch of Digital TV is the culmination of our three-screens strategy, which is to be present across mobile phone, computer and TV screens. We are very clear that Airtel will take over as a leader of the sector as soon as possible," Kohli added.

At present, there are five DTH players in the Indian market, with the four private operators having a combined subscriber base of about 8 million. The private players include Dish TV, Tata Sky, Sun Direct and Reliance Big TV. Reliance launched their DTH service in September, 2008.

At present, the DTH industry is dominated by Essel Group's Dish TV with about 3.8 million subscribers, followed by Tata Sky with 2.2 million users, Sun Direct with 1.3 million subscribers and Big TV with half-a-million subscribers. State-owned Prasar Bharati's DTH service, DD Direct Plus, is a free-to-air service.

[FEVIN-RAJ 61]

the set top looks great...

[@ksh@T 20]

yes indeed its the most beautifull STB . . .