Welcome Guest Login | Register | Site Map | | Make TelecomTiger my homepage     
Telecom News
Enterprise |  Policy & Regulation |  Mobiles & Tabs |  Corporate |  VAS |  People Movement  |  Technology  |  LTE

Interview

 
 



UTStarcom: IPTV far more relevant technology to India than any other market in the world

VIjay Yadav
UTStarcom South Asia MD
 
  TT Correspondent |  New Delhi | 28/06/2009

While wireless will grow and sure will have an important play in the country, the reason I emphasize so much on the speed aspect is because the moment we say IPTV, we are talking about traffic video, which is both bandwidth hungry and time sensitive. Among the traffic that we’re used to so far, while on one hand, voice is time sensitive but not bandwidth hungry,  and data is bandwidth hungry but not time sensitive, IPTV requires both – high bandwidth as well as time sensitivity. So considering these two important parameters, we are talking about a really robust broadband connection, which is capable and is dedicated. For services like a really robust IPTV, the minimum speed you need is 2 mbps dedicated, and ideally 3-4 mbps dedicated, which only wireline is capable of providing in a commercially viable business case.

Although wireless brings in mobility and flexibility, yet if IPTV is to be brought over wireless, it will have to change its form – quality will have to be brought down to keep up with limited bandwidth on mobility, you may even have to learn to live with a certain amount of jitter and flicker because that’s what wireless networks are capable of delivering now or in the near future. Therefore, IPTV on wireless will remain a limited play with limited features, till wireless technologies evolve to deliver dedicated high speed bandwidth to match with wireline Broadband.

Q8) UTStarcom has been in the forefront of product evolution in the broadband and IPTV space across the globe and more so in India. What are the new solutions the industry can expect from the company in days to come?

Ans. The features of our technology offerings can be divided in three forms, with the simplest form being recorded content, which can be viewed whenever you want to. The first phase is already on the floor and is being used by masses. The second form, which is the interactive content, has also been made available now.

Graduating to the third level, we are now trying to make a virtual classroom for the masses, which is right now not in a commercially deployable form.

Similarly, lots of applications which are relevant to India are being worked upon. From Aksh, there is a service called A-Tube that categorizes information and allows users to access information according to categories, ranging from city-specific local information, about shops, cosmetics, healthcare, childcare and so on. And within the information pulled out by the user, the system is capable of embedding only localized relevant ads that are very focused on the targeted audience– in my opinion, this is a very relevant advantage for a large country like India where the audiences differ greatly in their preferences, and we don’t usually fire up the computer to find such information. These are the kind of innovative services we are enabling on top of IPTV in India.

On the same A-Tube service, Aksh is working to provide an application on matrimony, allowing people to upload their text-based profile or even a 5-minute audio-visual profile for a shelf life of let us say 3, 6 or 12 months. Such services will have longer shelf life than placing matrimonial ads in papers.

We’re tying up with different platforms and universities to make available stored lectures available to IPTV subscribers. We have also made available technology to enable interactive content with question-answer sessions.

Using IPTV for tele-healthcare and e-governance are technologies that are available. In fact, Aksh has already tested e-governance on BSNL network in a small village called Kukas near Jaipur, where village panchayat can interact with district headquarters using IPTV.

Q9) What are your upcoming business plans for the Indian market? Any fallout arising out of the announcements made at the global level related to cost saving measures?

Ans: In broadband, we have been the leaders in India for three running years, starting 2007, which was the year of broadband. In IPTV, since the market in India is not large enough and analysts may not be tracking it yet, but we believe that we would have a leadership position in IPTV also.

We are working with the government to   see if they could announce 2010 as “a year of IPTV” just like 2007 was “year of broadband” earlier. Such an IPTV year will enable specific programmes and initiatives to drive growth of IPTV infrastructure which will contribute significantly to the country’s growth and productivity.

The telecom market in India has largely remained immune to recession. However, to meet the challenges of the general slowdown in the economy, we have indeed undertaken cost-cutting initiatives. However cost cutting should not be confused with man power cutting. We have not reduced man power in India. But yes, we have taken lots of initiatives to lower down the cost of doing business and bring in better operational efficiencies. We believe that ultimately it is a good thing for the customers if we’re able to maintain same quality at lower costs. From my perspective, that’s an initiative we will continue to have for quite some time.

At the same time, we have not shied away from investing time, resources and money in something that we believe will be good from growth perspective for us the industry, and the country, like IPTV for instance.

Cont-->> 1   2   
 mail this article    print this article    Show and Post Comment
  
Whitepaper
Maintain Business Continuity with Cisco ASR 9000 nV Technology
It is a virtual chassis solution where a pair of ASR 9000 routers acts as a single device by maintaining a single contr...read more
Simplify Your Network with Cisco ASR 9000 nV Technology
With the new Cisco Network Virtualization (nV) technology in the Cisco ASR 9000 Series Aggregation Services Routers, se...read more
Cisco Small Cell Solution: Reduce Costs, Improve Coverage
It is designed to address the challenge of mobile service coverage and to expand network capacity...read more
Other interviews
Kirusa’s newly launched InstaVoice ReachMe app provides unique telephony experience for users
95%+of the products delivered today by iVOOMi is made in India
A large proportion of our product and solution portfolio is directly relevant to 5G networks
RS Sharma on the status of Digital India
Cloud telephony is the best suited medium to reach out to the masses
"Smartphones have an integral part to play in the connected world of future"
“Domestic (Indian) brands are taking a larger share of the market every month”
“I do not expect much impact on tariff for consumers”
“We would be focusing on LTE 4G solutions in 2014 in India”
“We will start rolling out 4G LTE services by end of this financial year”
After advent of LTE technological innovation is much more challenging
“Our green technology can reduce diesel consumption by 56%”
“We expect 3G revenue contribution to be at par or exceed 2G revenue”
"We are strengthening our service capabilities in India"
“We partner with right technology and utilize our competitive advantage”
Indian VAS market is huge and effectively receptive
We are looking at growth in India
3G, 4G to fuel MVAS growth
Introduction of data plans at the right price and packaging key to growth
Smartphones will be major catalyst for mobile advertising growth in India
Despite challenges VAS market will continue to grow in India
Indo-US defense ties have created opportunities for T&M industry
3G penetration will help expand VAS market in India
ZTE has formed an enterprise solutions team for enterprise business in India
Telecom operators are looking forward to deploy green wireless solutions
Our value proposition to hotels has been well accepted
Effective mobile campaign management can boost operator’s business
Interpreting and analyzing data is vital for successful business
Unified Communications is transforming India Inc
Bill shock makes 90% Indians switch off data connection
LTE will ensure lower capital investment
'We need to come quickly to LTE': J S Sarma
'Corporate war fueling 2G controversy:’ A Raja
Ruckus Wireless’ WBA solution promises cost effective alternative to WiMAX in urban areas
Mobile data services the new opportunity for Indian operators to increase ARPU feels Comverse
Capgemini foresees huge scope for engagement with Indian Mobile Operators to drive Rural uptake
“Waiting for competition to tap the $ 150 mn agri-info MVAS market along with us”: RML
“Already serving more than 657 mn ad displays monthly in India over mobile web”: Admob
“Our international reach will be our main differentiator for mobile financial services,” says Roamware
Sterlite Technologies plans multi-fold organic growth to break into the global top league
Entry of 3G will make Broadband Services more appealing in India, says NSN
Picocell as a tool for Customer Retention, the ip.access way
WiMAX not a 4G technology, only LTE is, says Ericsson CTO
No business case for WiMAX in rural India….definitely not, says Qualcomm India
Delta carving out differentiation around Green Quotient of its telecom site power solutions
TI’s new chip makes way for Smaller, Denser, Cost-effective wireless base station design
Qualcomm India: “Well-positioned to serve both GSM & CDMA operators for 3G migration”
“Decision to foray into CDMA space is with an eye on data services” says Sistema Shyam’s CEO
‘Fixedline infrastructure can never deliver broadband across India’ says GSMA Director
Loop Mobile: Engaging and then exciting our subscribers is the core focus of all our communication initiatives
With voice being commoditised, SMS set to assume greater role, foresees Tekelec
"The race is still anybody's to win in the mobile browser market," declares BOLT
“WiMAX has seen very good traction and adoption in India”, says Tata Elxsi
“.tel is the biggest innovation in the internet”
India’s largest mall on your mobile: ngpay
Economic slowdown has no impact on Airtel, says Akhil Gupta
Synchronica fully supports legal interception unlike RIM, says CEO
Motorola says uniquely positioned to best serve critical technology demands of enterprises in India
Tandberg: Real value of video-conferencing solution should be measured on usability and benefits
DTH, WiMAX and Billing to be new focus areas for Oracle India
Wireline Services will bounce back, says Chairman MRO-TEK
Motorola well-positioned to play a major role in India’s next phase of growth, says Mohanty
Aircel will double its network by 2008 end
‘We are migrating to full IP Network’, says MTNL director (technical) Kuldip Singh
Sistema will offer competitive tariff, Mobile TV in India
Mobile TV is a distant dream in India
IT & BPO growth story will continue
Redefining rules of the game