Wire & Wireless India launches digital cable service ‘GalaxZee’ for South Mumbai

The Essel Group’s cable TV venture, Wire & Wireless India (WWIL), has branded its digital cable service as ‘GalaxZee’. As a result of the restructuring of Zee Telefilms, WWIL will function as a separate listed company. Zee Network has been divided into four separate companies, Zee TV, Zee News, Dish TV and WWIL.

With CAS coming into effect from January 1, 2007, WWIL has commenced operations of digital headend from Worli for its subscribers in South Mumbai. According to the company, more than 60 per cent of the cable operators in South Mumbai, where CAS has been implemented, have subscribed to the GalaxZee service.

WWIL is equipped to deliver video, data and voice through set-top boxes to about 9.3 million customers across 43 cities. Following Mumbai, the GalaxZee services will be rolled out in Delhi and Kolkata in the second phase.

GalaxZee claims to be the only multi system operator (MSO) with the ability to provide value added boxes (a higher variant of the basic set-top box), which will enable customers to browse the Internet, chat, send and receive e-mails on their television sets and shop online, etc.

The basic set-top boxes will be available on a refundable deposit of Rs 250 and rent of Rs 45 per month or a refundable deposit of Rs 999 with a rental of Rs 30 per month, depending on the type of set-top box chosen.

“Besides high quality products, GalaxZee will offer high quality service, too. For this, we have set up a call centre in Mumbai,” says Jagjit Singh Kohli, CEO, WWIL.

The company will also offer wireless cable services, which will use Headend in the Sky (HITS) technology, which it claims is the first ever such offering in India. Wireless cable TV is meant for large groups or housing societies since it involves a single dish for the whole building.

© 2006 agencyfaqs!