By launching Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), Bharti Airtel has become the first private player to offer the service in the country.

The company will now offer triple play service - telephony, broadband and television over a single line to customers in the NCR and will be followed by eight leading metros. The service will also offer features such as real-time interactivity, where customers can order pizzas and book movie tickets on their TV, record programmes for seven days, rewind, forward, and Movie on Demand (MOD).

IPTV is a system delivering digital content services to subscribers using the Internet protocol over a broadband connection using closed network infrastructure.

Airtel will provide these services under two packs - Magic@ Home Pack at Rs 999 per month, which would offer 135 channels including 256 kbps broadband speed with unlimited download and a landline connection.

While the Combo Pack, priced at Rs 599 per month, will provide 117 channels including 256 kbps broadband speed with download limit of 2.5 GB.

Apart from Airtel, state-owned MTNL and BSNL are also offering these services.

A company official stated, Airtel has already tested IPTV services through its soft launch in some of the cities and will extend these services in a phased manner to the top eight metros over the course of the year.

The company has close to two million customers and would look at catering to these customers as well as new users, who are looking for three services together from a single operator, he added.

It may be noted that, the company has recently launched Airtel's direct-to-home (DTH) services in the country.