today

State-owned Mahanagar Telecom Nigam Ltd (MTNL) is the first service provider that will enter the IPTV (Internet Protocol Television Space). MTNL will show channels initially in association with Mumbai-based IOL Broadband Ltd. MTNL hopes to show as many as 250 channels in future. Tariffs would be around Rs300 per month for IPTV irrespective of channels and video on demand for initial months. Local cablewallahs have already started slashing monthly cable rates in Prabhadevi and Worli. Apparently IPTV is to be all over Mumbai. Registration starts Monday and service would be on first-come first-serve basis. IPTV so far has 2 million subscribers world wide. Through the system, subscribers will get many options: Control and choose TV channels, real-time interactive television, music on demand and time-shifted television viewing. Sounds a good idea but still expensive, particularly for the occasional and not so keen viewer.