(3 January 2007 8:30 pm)

MUMBAI: IOL Broadband Ltd is set to soft launch its IPTV services on the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) network in Bangalore on 14 January.

The company, which has a non exclusive tie up with BSNL for setting up the content delivery network, has already started trial runs in Bangalore. "We are also looking at launching in Kolkata, Chennai and Bhopal," says IOL Broadband executive director Oberai.

IOL is yet to make a commercial launch of its IPTV services in MUmbai, the first city where it kickstarted operations on the MTNL network. "We will make a commercial launch when we are able to offer 100 TV channels. We are currently offering 40 channels and have signed up with Star," says Oberai.

The company has also signed a revenue share agreement for its IPTV service with Anytime, a consortium of major Hollywood Studios comprising Disney, Fox, Warner, and Universal which will provide access to Hollywood movies.

Bennett Coleman & Co Ltd (BCCL), which is the holding company of the Times Group, has picked up a small stake in IOL Broadband for Rs 50 million.