The Journey from Telecom to Broadcast: Reliance
By CXOtoday Staff
Mumbai, Nov 24, 2006

Reliance - Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) will launch 'Reliance Blue Magic' Direct-to-Home (DTH) broadcasting service by the third quarter of 2007. These services will include IPTV, High Speed internet and VoIP.

The company had received the Letter of Intent (LoI) in September from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to offer these services.

Sources said, "We are at the planning stage. It will take us another year to roll out the services. There is a vast scope in the DTH segment. Technology and marketing strategies will be our key differentiators."

At present, DTH services are being offered by Zee Group's Dish TV, Star TV, Tata's - Tata Sky, Prasar Bharati's DD Direct Plus, and Sun TV.

Reliance would use its telecom channel to market its DTH across the country. The company is optimistic about enhancing its business in the broadcasting sector through its telecom platform.

The company has already laid out a 60,000 KM fiber network for the project. It will use Microsoft IPTV platform and Motorola's set top boxes.

The group will adopt a four-screen strategy. These are Cinema Screen: Typical Movie Theatres, Multiplexes and Digital Movie business; TV-Screen: DTH and IPTV; PC-Screen: Triple Play services and Mobile: TV and content distribution on Mobile through R-World Portal.