RailTel to launch IPTV services to RailWire subscribers from January 26

RailTel is launching Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) services to RailWire subscribers from January 26, the public sector company said in a release on January 19.

RailTel has partnered with Hyderabad-based IPTV service provider City Online Media to offer RailWire users IPTV services under the "ULKA TV" brand.

IPTV is a service that delivers television programming and other visual content using the transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) suite.

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The IPTV services are being launched in the Eastern and North Eastern region of the country, which includes West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura, Manipur, and east Uttar Pradesh.

Customers using RailWire broadband will have the option of using LAN, Wi-Fi, or portable set-top boxes to access ULKA TV services. RailTel Broadband users will get access to IPTV material via the company's "ULKA Mini" mobile app and "ULKA LITE" smart TV app, both of which can be downloaded from Google Play store.

“The OFC network owned by RailTel reaches to over 70 percent of the population of the country including rural areas. With its Pan India high-capacity network, RailTel is working towards creating a knowledge society at various fronts. The Government of India is keen on expansion of broadband cable services across the country, especially rural areas," Sanjai Kumar, Chairman & Managing Director, RailTel, said.

He added that the integration of IPTV services through RailWire has the potential to transform households that rely on traditional television into internet households, providing access to smart services for homes.