Terming India as the largest focus market in its global operations, WorldSpace on Monday said it has tied up with Indian manufacturer UMS to develop a 'WorldSpace receiver' which would break the existing price barrier of Rs 4,000.
"We have tied up with UMS, and the company is poised to launch a WorldSpace product in the next six months. The new WorldSpace receiver will attempt to break the Rs 4,000 price barrier," Pawan Gandhi, Head (corporate and institutional business), WorldSpace India Pvt Ltd, said.
WorldSpace currently has tie-ups with BPL, Onida and state-owned Semiconductor Complex Ltd for its receiver.
Coimbatore-based UMS is working on manufacturing a low cost receiver for WorldSpace to be used for niche institutional application and retail market, Gandhi said.
WorldSpace is a satellite broadcast company, which provides audio broadcast encompassing 40-50 audio channels in near CD quality. The equipment 'WorldSpace receiver' is priced between Rs 4,000 to Rs 10,000 and is capable of broadcasting audio as well as data.
The company provides a distance education programme Vigyan Vani in association with Vigyan Prasar, a nodal body under the Department of Science and Technology.
"This channel targets over 30,000 schools, science clubs and individual students," Gandhi said.
The audio is picked up by the WorldSpace receiver and the data by digital data adapter and computer in addition to the receiver.
"India is the largest focus market for WorldSpace globally," Gandhi pointed out.
At present, the meteorological department utilises the satellite capabilities of WorldSpace for several data broadcast-related utilities.
"The information received through the satellite is used for a number of applications like disaster warning and management and rural information kiosks. Since WorldSpace is a digital satellite-broadcasting medium, the data that is broadcast and de-crypted is faster and cheaper," he added.
