[Resolved]  Bharti Airtel — Leveraging the strength of its broadband network, leading global telecommunications company, Bharti Airtel is set to become a one-stop-shop.

Leveraging the strength of its broadband network, leading global telecommunications company, Bharti Airtel is set to become a one-stop-shop in the distribution of television channels across diverse media platforms. After the successful launch of its direct-to-home (DTH), IPTV, and 3G mobile TV, Bharti Airtel which also operates mobile network in Nigeria and 15 other African countries, is set to launch a dedicated Internet TV for its 1.8 million broadband users. The company has called the offering Airtel’s Broadband TV which is set to hit the market next week.Accessing the Broadband TV will require a Airtel broadband connection. After opting for it, the consumers can simply watch live television on internet in real time by accessing websites. Broadband TV will also work on wi-fi networks and the consumer will not be charged for the data consumed in accessing the television content. Airtel will launch the service with 28 live, 19 video on demand (VoD) channels and 12 movies for Rs. 99 per month. There will be a special monthly offer of Rs. 49 for users who want to access the service between 9 pm and 9 am.The USP of Airtel’s Broadband TV is that users will only pay a flat monthly fee to access the TV channels on internet at home or in office real-time. “The bandwidth consumption for watching Broadband TV will not add to the Airtel customers’ broadband plan data usage,” Girish Mehta, CMO Telemedia Services, Bharti Airtel told FE.However, if an Airtel broadband customer accesses Broadband TV on non-Airtel broadband, the data charges will need to be paid. The move is aimed by Airtel to add more broadband subscribers.Internet TV is different from IPTV or Internet Protocol TV, which was launched by Airtel over two years ago.While IPTV consumers require a set-top-box and a dedicated back-end infrastructure at the service providers level to access channels, Internet television allows the users to watch a television channel directly from a channel directory using the internet and a broadband plan. Also, while IPTV involves protocol-based delivery of content, the Internet television uses the streaming mode to deliver channels in virtually real tim.Meanwhile, Ericsson has announced it has deployed the latest core and radio technology to provide an advanced and state-of-the-art network infrastructure supporting the launch of airtel 3G services in Delhi and the National Capital Region. With this world class network deployed under the expertise of Ericsson in only 5 months, Bharti airtel will be able to serve 7.6 million customers in Delhi and the National Capital Region. This is one of the most robust 3G network setups rolled out by Ericsson in India to date where airtel 3G services in Delhi will have a comprehensive presence, delivering speeds up to 21 Mbps even in indoor environments.Ericsson, the largest network supplier to Bharti airtel, is supporting them by launching a 3G network based on WCDMA/HSPA technology across 8 circles including services like network rollout, network design, network integration and training. The network comprises more than 1800 radio base stations based on Ericsson’s latest multi-standard radio access portfolio, RBS 6000, and the latest core technology, which will drastically boost the capacity of the network and evolve it into an IP network.Atul Bindal, President – Mobile Services, Bharti airtel says: "Mobile broadband will not only revolutionize the internet experience in India but will also fuel the growth of trade and commerce, improve access to education and healthcare and help reduce the overall digital divide. We see the launch of 3G services as the logical next step to the evolution of mobile communications in India. With the mobile phone fast emerging as the primary device for accessing a variety of data services, we believe that strong network capabilities will play a crucial role in delivering a strong and sustained 3G experience for today’s discerning customer. Our attractive service offerings and compelling price points clubbed with Ericsson’s long standing expertise in networks gives us the confidence to dive into our 3G foray.”Gowton Achaibar, Head of Region, Ericsson India, says: “We are excited to bring this new opportunity to the Indian telecom market. Our long standing association with Bharti has reached a new level today with the introduction of data based services. Thanks to our close collaboration with Bharti, we have successfully rolled out this comprehensive and complex network in a very short time.”Ericsson estimates the mobile broadband customers will hit the one billion mark in 2011. The greatest number of customers, around 400 million, is expected to be concentrated in the Asia Pacific region. By 2016, the number of mobile broadband customers will be close to 5 billion, with 95 percent on HSPA, CDMA and LTE networks.An Ericsson Consumer Insight Study on consumers’ connectivity needs reveals that in India, the internet is increasingly becoming a part of the everyday life of the urban consumer. Almost 40 percent o[censored]rban internet users are accessing the internet daily; a significant proportion of these also access the internet through their mobile phone.The multi standard radio base station RBS 6000 (deployed as a part of the contract) substantially reduces the power consumption hence reducing the operational expenditure for Bharti, saving cost and reducing the long term environmental impact. Bharti airtel 3G services in India were first launched in the south. This was rapidly followed by successful airtel 3G launches in Jaipur and Delhi including the National Capital Region.