Tamil Nadu will offer Internet Protocol TV and high speed broadband connectivity to all households in the State through the Government-owned Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation. This was announced by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in the Assembly on Monday. She said the Union Government has issued Internet Service Provider license to the TACTVC.
"The Government of Tamil Nadu has signed an agreement with the Indian RailTel for providing high speed broadband internet services across the State," Jayalalithaa told the House. Jayalalithaa also disclosed that plans have been worked out to bring more than 12,500 rural local bodies in the State under BharatNet, a project under the Government to link the entire villages in the country through optic fiber network.
She said the ISP license which has been issued to TACTVC would be utilised to bring all households in the State under internet connectivity. Sources in the IT industry sector pointed out that the IPTV is a "game-changer" in the business of cable TV distribution and internet . "The consumers stand to get internet connectivity along with cable TV services with the introduction of IPTV. The IPTV services would be cheaper than conventional cable TV and Direct To Home (DTH) services. This will help the State Government to distribute cable TV programmes at reduced rates to the viewers as well as beam the satellite TV programmes at competitive rates. The cable TV and DTH service providers will find the going quite tough," said Ramesh Sethuraman, a corporate analyst based in Chennai.
He also pointed out that the IPTV and high speed broad band connectivity would revolutionise the classroom TVs and interactive educational TV. "This will benefit poor students who are not in a position to shell out exorbitant private tuition," said Sethuraman.