(4 April 2008 2:30 pm)

NEW DELHI: While answers were divided on whether customers in India are ready for IPTV in India, consensus emerged at the “3rd ITV India 2008” that E-education would be the killer application for IPTV to succeed in the country.

Most speakers at the first session held that with costs for private tuition becoming prohibitive, no parent would like to say “no” to E-education and this could be the strongest pull for IPTV.

Digital Media Convergence Ltd CEO Ishwar Jha first raised the issue. “With tuition fees stretching the pockets of parents, no one would deny their children such an easy personalised tuition option that is interactive and time shifted. That alone could be the killer application for IPTV success,” he stressed.

Trai Advisor (converged services) SK Gupta also said that value added services woud be key and among them E-education would be critically important.

Cellular Operators Association of India senior director TR Dua said that each service provider would need its own USP and education as a service would make IPTV more acceptable to customers.