Mumbai, 28.5.2003: IndusInd Media & Communications Limited (IMCL), India's largest independent cable MSO, a subsidiary of Hinduja TMT Limited, today announced that it would brand its Conditional Access System (CAS) service as 'INDigital'.

CAS, which will introduce a new TV revolution in India on July 15, will segregate the 6 million TV homes in the four metros of Mumbai, Delhi, Calcutta and Chennai into receipt of Free to Air (FTA) service for an affordable cost of Rs. 72/- plus local taxes and pay channels a-la-carte prices to be shortly announced by broadcasters.

Under the new system, customers will have the right to select and pay for only those pay channels they actually wish to see. To enable smooth implementation of this service IMC has tied up with Nagravision of Switzerland, a world leader of Digital CAS Solutions to ensure the deployment of the leading secure CAS System. Nagravision is also the appointed systems integrator for the CAS project.

For provision of CAS service to customers through Set Top Boxes (STBs), IMC has already tied up with multiple set top box suppliers from both the East as well as the West to mitigate geographical risk associated with deliveries. IMC has placed indent for a significant number of STBs to be installed in customer's homes, latest by July 1, 2003.

It is also installing the latest state of the art digital headends at Delhi and Mumbai provided by Tandberg of Norway. It is operationalising 24/7 call centres at Delhi and Mumbai to provide customer support all round the year.

On May 27, 2003, senior company officials made a full-scale presentation to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on the complete implementation methodology and schedule of 'INDigital' CAS service. They assured the Ministry that 'INDigital' would very shortly announce the initial schemes on customer friendly terms for early adoption of STBs.

Says Mr. K.V.Seshasayee, Chief Technology Officer of Hinduja TMT Limited and task force leader of the 'INDigital' CAS project "Our digital system will offer upto 300 crystal clear channels. Even customers with lower capacity colour TV sets/BW TV sets will be able to access all channels without having to change their TV set."

He further revealed that the CAS service to be provided by 'INDigital' from July 14 would, within a short while, enhance its services to provide a VAS (Value Added Services) package which would include broadband internet, interactive TV, content on demand and pay per view. This would be enabled by Tsunami middleware provided by Nagravision and a MHP application.

New services would include SMS TV where you can SMS for your favourite video clip of say your favourite film star or sportsman and even get a reply on your mobile and on the TV from the celebrity amongst numerous other interactive applications.

Mr. Seshasayee confidently asserted, "the high quality of our product would be matched by the high quality of our service. "The STBs being brought in were coming with extended warranty terms. If any STB required repair, a stand by equivalent digital STB would be provided for the repair period."

He further provided details of the state of art 24/7 call centre being established in both the cities: "Any customer will be able to call in a 1-600 number and ask for any assistance on the CAS service. We have long experience in the cellular operations and have brought up the friendliest most efficient cellular service in India-CellForce Gujarat and this customer friendliness would be available in the 'INDigital' service too." said Mr Seshasayee.

He revealed multifaceted plans for the customer to pay for the CAS service through ATMs, SMS on mobile, Internet and Prepaid cash cards. There will also be customer care operators who will come in to homes of customers with various options to provide service at the customers' doorstep.

For the first time he revealed INDigital's plans to rapidly indigenise supply of STBs. He stated that we have prepared ourselves to supply over 1 million digital STBs to the market. He added "We expect Indian electronic manufacturers to rise to the challenge and thereafter provide world class, quality digital STBs adding over Rs. 3000 crores turnover to the Indian industry."