Ludhiana will soon become the first city in Punjab to have Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is doing a soft launch of the service and later plans to launch it commercially in January 2009, depending on the feedback.

The leading Internet service provider is targeting cable TV subscriber base of about 82 million users by counting on their 30 million landline subscribers across the country. After launching IPTV services in Jaipur and Jodhpur in Rajasthan in September, the company is planning to bring IPTV to more than 100 cities.

BSNL will provide 120 television channels to its broadband subscribers at a monthly rental of Rs 150, apart from a security deposit of Rs. 999 for a set-top box, it is reliably learnt.

The No. 1 Indian telecommunications company, which started its broadband service about three years ago, plans to expand its reach to even areas which are presently technically non-feasible for broadband. One of the private sector partners, Aksh Optifibres, expect on getting 40,000 subscribers by the end of the year by tying up with BSNL.