ACT TV invests Rs 1 bn; launches IPTV

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Bangalore-based multi-system operator ACT Television has invested Rs 1 billion towards acquiring cable networks, digitalisation and setting up IPTV infrastructure.

ACT Television, in which private equity firm India Value Fund Advisors (IVFA) has acquired a majority stake, today announced the launch of IPTV service in Bangalore. A full-fledged roll out will happen over the next 3-4 months.


The MSO has acquired cable networks in pockets of Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. It has set up three digital headends - in Bangalore, Indore and Nellore.

"We have a Rs 4.5 billion investment plan over the next 18-24 months. This will be towards digitalisation, IPTV and acquisition of cable networks," said ACT TV managing
director Sunder Raju.

With the launch of IPTV, ACT claims to be the first player to have introduced the Interactive TV service in the city. Said Raju, “ACT Interactive TV will turn a television set into a convergence device. A viewer can watch his favourite TV channels, get movies of their choice at the click of a button from a huge library, watch millions of videos available on the internet, record one program while watching another, pause & play live TV, and connect various devices in the house to view images stored on them. Soon they will be able to play multi-user games, send emails and voicemails from their TV sets, conduct online shopping, education and banking using a compact remote.”


Subscribers will have to pay Rs 3000 for a Verismo set-top box and Rs 300 for the basic television channels on IPTV. The company has bundled offers for various services and Vas capabilities that it plans to deliver. It plans to sell the services and the STB by direct door-to-door marketing, through residential societies, meetings and live demonstrations at the subscriber's end.

ACT has tied-up with technology partners such as Oracle, Siemens and Cisco.