Dump OB vans, try Infocomm network

In a move that can reduce the investment of television channels on outside broadcasting vans, Anil Ambani-controlled Reliance Infocomm on Monday said that it has created a broadband network to facilitate live telecast from across 85 cities.

The network, called DENG (Digital Electronic News Gathering), allows TV channels to connect to 85 cities through Reliance Infocomm network live, without having to depend on OB vans.

"Reliance Infocomm had launched its DENG project during the last general elections on an experimental basis to facilitate TV news feeds from different locations to the studios," Sarup Chowdhary, CEO, Reliance WebWorld said.

Many news channels have started using the service, he said, adding that the content is secure as it is transmitted over Reliance's fibre optic network using encryption and decryption technology.

The company has set up encoders at its select WebWorld stores to which TV cameras are connected.

The feed is transmitted in real time to the studio in a different location. The studio has decoder to download the feed and thus the programme being shot at a Reliance WebWorld's makeshift studio is transmitted live.

On an average, over 25 to 30 hours of footage is transmitted daily to various TV studios on Reliance Infocomm network. The transfer is managed by a central helpdesk, ensuring 100 per cent network availability and success rate, Chowdhary said.