The Hindu Business Line : Aksh Optifibre to make set top boxes for IPTV service

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New Delhi Feb. 19 Aksh Optifibre plans to manufacture its own set top boxes to support its plans to become an end-to-end Internet Protocol TV player.

The company that deals with optical fibre cables and fibre reinforced plastic rods now imports STBs for its small subscriber base of IPTV service provided in association with MTNL in Delhi. Services are to be introduced in Mumbai by March-end, and Aksh claims they will cost less than the current Direct to Home services and match CAS rates.

According to Dr Kailash S. Choudhari, MD, Aksh Optifibre, manufacturing should start before the second quarter of next fiscal, at one of the existing manufacturing units for its fibre and cable business. Apart from the time shift factor that allows viewers to watch programmes at their own convenience, Dr Choudhari believes its IPTV's direct advertising possibility is exciting given the domestic retail boom. Having fed in pre-defined needs, subscribers can stay informed about specific categories thanks to the two-way communication that IPTV allows.

At present, offering 24 channels and a host of Hindi movies on its video on demand list, with the basic service on MTNL's networks priced at Rs 125, Aksh's IPTV service will offer a 100 channels soon, says Dr Choudhari. "The great advantages of Aksh's service and for IPTV, in general, have not been well advertised," he says.

Aksh, which plans to be a complete IPTV player, providing equipment at the head-end, STBs to subscribers and solutions for the platform, expects to launch its marketing campaign in three months.