MTNL offers mobile TV
State-run telecom operator Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) is slated to commercially launch its mobile television service in April. With a monthly subscription rate of Rs 50, subscribers will get access to seven TV channels and five audio channels. Sports lovers will be able to watch cricket series on their mobile at a monthly charge of Rs 25. In addition, the global packet radio service (GPRS) charges will be Rs 10 per MB.
Currently, the bouquet of channels that MTNL has on offer may not excite many viewers. The channels on offer currently include S1, India TV, PIO, Enter10, PBC, Shakti TV and NETV, of which five will be given free of cost to subscribers. MTNL executive director, Mr A.K. Arora said the company is planning to get some more channels such as Star, Zee, Sony and also news channels.
Now, all you need to watch these channels is a global system for mobile communications (GSM) phone with GPRS connection, real player applications, Symbian operating system and a 2MB in-built memory card. According to Mr Arora, most of the latest phones come with these specifications.
MTNL has tied up with Netgear for technology and AirChord TeleVentures Ltd for providing content. It has about 3 million GSM users in New Delhi, and expects the number to go up with the launch of the service.
Mobile operators hope an additional income of about Rs 250 to Rs 500 a month from each mobile TV user will boost average revenue per user, which is constantly declining because fierce competition in the market. Trai would have to thrash out pricing guidelines once more players enter the fray.
Reliance Communications Ltd already is offering mobile television on its digital platform Mobile World. The service charges Rs 3 per minute. The current rollout by Idea Cellular Ltd for mobile TV is offered as a basic streaming service with a bouquet of 20 channels at Rs 150 a month. Star Mobile Entertainment has entered into a pact with Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB to offer pre-loaded ‘PLUS’ application on the handset manufacturer’s Walkman and Cyber-shot phones.
Tags: idea, mobile tv, MTNL, Reliance, sony ericsson