Reuters reports that China's largest fixed-line company, China Telecom Corp., and Shanghai Media Group launched a joint internet TV (IPTV) service, as companies in China's maturing telecoms market forage into Web-based areas.
BesTV, the Internet Protocol Television service -- TV sent over telecoms networks using Internet protocol -- may reach 80,000 to 100,000 households by the end of 2006, BesTV chief operating officer Li Huaiyu said on the sidelines of the launch.
Shanghai Media Group is the first company in China to receive a license from Beijing to run IPTV. With growth slowing in China's telecoms market -- the world's biggest with over 360 million fixed-line and over 430 million mobile users -- China Telecom and rival China Netcom Group Corp. are looking to newer, non-voice services.
Both companies have invested large sums upgrading their networks in recent years for the deployment of high-speed data services, including broadband Internet and IPTV.
BesTV, the Internet Protocol Television service -- TV sent over telecoms networks using Internet protocol -- may reach 80,000 to 100,000 households by the end of 2006, BesTV chief operating officer Li Huaiyu said on the sidelines of the launch.
Shanghai Media Group is the first company in China to receive a license from Beijing to run IPTV. With growth slowing in China's telecoms market -- the world's biggest with over 360 million fixed-line and over 430 million mobile users -- China Telecom and rival China Netcom Group Corp. are looking to newer, non-voice services.
Both companies have invested large sums upgrading their networks in recent years for the deployment of high-speed data services, including broadband Internet and IPTV.