Reliance kickstarts broadband operations with TV channels

By siliconindia staff writer   |   Wednesday, 05 May 2004, 19:30 IST
Printer Print Email Email
NEW DELHI: Having laid about 85,000 kms of optical fibre network, Reliance Infocomm has started its broadband operations with the launch of Digital Electronic News Gathering service that enables TV channels to broadcast quality news video from a remote location to the studio directly. "Various TV channels, including CNBC and Rajat Sharma-promoted India TV, are using our DENG service for broadcasting at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional methods of broadcasting," a Reliance spokesperson said in New Delhi. "We have been conducting trial runs on Reliance's network for the last six months and since April 18 we are gathering news from over 60 centres. We have also used the DENG service for carrying out live interviews of political leaders sitting in our studios in various cities. It is a digital video and much cheaper than satellite," an official said. Come May 20 and Rajat Sharma's India TV will turn into a 24 hour news channel. "We have tied up with Reliance Infocomm for using their network for the 24-hour channel," he added. Reliance officials said DENG service is already operational in 100 towns and some of the regional TV channels are using it. "We have received enthusiastic response from most of the news channels and many of them will soon start using the facility, especially for coverage of election results," the company spokesperson said. He said 106 Reliance Webworlds in 88 cities were equipped with special encoders, adaptors and other equipment and software for transferring the content directly to the studio, which would be connected to high-speed Reliance Data Network. "For studios that are not on Reliance Data Network, the content can be transferred to a select Webworld near the studio from where it can be transferred on to tapes and taken to studios," he said. Company officials also claimed the content was "secure" as it was transmitted over Reliance's Fibre Optic network using encryption and decryption technology. At present, six channels including CNBC are using it to transfer part of their outstation content to their studios, the spokesman added.

siliconindia