The Hindu Business Line : Reliance Info offers broadband network to television channels

"The reporter or stringer simply has to have a digital camera to cover the event. He then comes to one of our Web World locations where we will encrypt the footage and send it across directly to his studio if they have subscribed to our line. Else, the footage can be decrypted at the Web World centre closest to the TV company's studio," Mr Amit Khanna, Reliance Infocomm spokesperson, told Business Line.

The service, called Digital Electronic News Gathering (DENG), is already being used on a trial basis by television channels like CNBC, India TV, and a clutch of smaller regional channels.

"The DENG service offers digital video and comes at a price much lower than satellite uplinking. In an era when news has to travel fast, DENG is much faster than physical delivery of tapes by courier," Mr Khanna said.

He added that the financial terms with the users are yet to be worked out.

Reliance is also looking at newer technologies that may even do away with the need for the reporter having to come to the Web World location.

"As technologies develop, other possibilities can be explored. We may use line-of-sight wireless broadband technology or simply have a fibre cable running down a short distance from the Web World to a place where the event is taking place. We tried it with Jeevan TV in Thiruvananthapuram for a particular event at a temple."

Mr Khanna added that that the content was "absolutely secure" as it was transmitted over Reliance's fibre optic network using encryption and decryption technology.

Having laid about 85,000 km of optical fibre network, Reliance Infocomm is set to begin broadband services for corporate clients.

It already has 106 Web World outlets in nearly 90 locations across the country.

Meanwhile, the company is trying to become the first company in the world to offer triple play broadband to consumers.

It will have voice, video and data on a single cable and will offer 100 megabits per second broadband connectivity - nearly 400 times the minimum speed defined by TRAI in its broadband guidelines.

Mr Khanna said that the proposed service will have several innovative features like time shifting TV, video or audio on demand and personalised video recording along with an always on high-speed internet.

He did not give any timeframe for launching the service but said that the company wanted to be "absolutely sure" about the service before its roll-out.