Nepal Telecom (Ntc) launches IPTV service from Jan 1, 2021 (Poush 17, 2077) as per their plan. The commercial launch was successful after performing the testing of the IPTV service and integration with the billing system.
Earlier Ntc also demonstrated the internet TV service to their higher management. At that time, it was expected to launch very soon which did not happen due to some technical preparations needed at first and then the pandemic. That time, NTC had planned to launch the IPTV service launch from Baishak 1, 2077.
Though the IPTV service can come with Ntc fiber internet (FTTH) and an OTT mobile app, it arrives firstly on FTTH only. Currently, they have around 1 lakh FTTH subscribers, which has been rapidly distributed in recent days. The Television service in Ntc FTTH is one of the most awaited services for the people.
Recently Ntc launched FTTH Double Majja Offer which provides per day 300 MB mobile data for free with the FTTH subscription.
After the launch, the price of the Nepal Telecom Television service is also revealed, find the price of the different NTTV packages.
What is IPTV service?
IPTV is a digital technology that provides Video/TV service over an IP transmission link. Earlier the video/TV transmission was through analog broadcast or channel multiplexing through cable. With the introduction of IPTV, service providers deliver the Video/TV content through the IP (Internet protocol packets).
The growth of IP broadband networks either Wired or Wireless enables the path for the IPTV service. IPTV can provide high quality and best content to your home TV or your mobile. Some countries have already started providing 4K resolution TV/Video content in IPTV service.
Currently, several ISPs provide the IPTV service to customers using their FTTH or Cable connectivity. They provide digital TV along with the internet through the same link.
Services
Here are the different services that come along with IPTV service.
- Live TV: All the famous TV will come live through the IPTV service.
- Catch-up TV or Time Shift TV: Not every people can watch TV when it is live. But now with the Time-shift TV feature, you can watch your favourite shows at any time you want.
- Video on demand: You can select the most popular videos among the list to watch, which includes popular TV series, web series, music videos, documentary, movies, etc.
Further, they can add more services like:
- Music on demand
- e-learning
- Interactive online games
- Video conferencing
- Digital Marketing, online shops
FTTH, Cable connection requires incorporating such IPTV applications within the set-top box which will be done by the service provider themselves. Whereas a mobile customer just needs to install the mobile application to use the service and subscribe to the packages. For a web user, they need to browse the website of the service with their subscribed account.
READ: How to connect internet at home?
IPTV project
Earlier Nepal Telecom selected VNPT (Vietnam Post and Telecommunication) for their IPTV service. VNPT is a telecommunication company which is owned by Vietnam Government. VNPT has several subsidiaries like VinaPhone: a telecom operator and VASC: a software development company.
Nepal Telecom (NTC) had called a Global tender to provide IPTV service to its customers, a couple of months ago. With the Global competition, VNPT succeeded to grab the deal by collaborating with Kalash. Ntc and JV of VNPT-Kalash had inked a deal for the IPTV service on October 14, 2019. Although they took around 4 months of the contract to setup the platform and start testing, the launch date is little delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and some technical difficulties.
In all these time period, they brought in the required hardware, software to integrate its platform in the Nepal Telecom system. After rigorous testing and billing integration, NTC delivers the IPTV service to their FTTH first and might come with OTT app over mobile (3G, 4G) subscribers.
We believe Ntc IPTV platform provides a combined solution for IPTV, Web TV and mobile TV (app). Nepal Telecom 4G has already reached all 77 districts with more than 2000 towers. They target to provide 4G to every nook and corner soon. Similarly, the FTTH service has reached more than 28 districts.
Why Video/TV service?
As video content is already a big thing for the telecom industry, telcos are pushing to tap into this new opportunity. Due to the proliferation of OTT applications like Viber, Skype, WeChat, Google Duo, etc, Telcos are under pressure to offset the loss of revenues from their core services like Voice.
Some of the telcos develop their own platform for the TV and video service while some collaborate with the already available platform for such service. As known, NTC uses the platform of VNPT to provide the broadcast/live TV, Video on Demand services.
Ntc had also brought WoWtime, a TV and video application back in 2017 but they couldn’t bring in more services over it.
As VNPT has its own MyTV platform, we believe they might have used the same to provide the IPTV service here for Nepal Telecom (NTC).
Tell us what do you think of Nepal Telecom IPTV service, with your expectations.
