Ministry of Information & Broadcasting today launched the Headend In The Sky (HITS) digital platform initiative, under the brand name NXT DIGITAL promoted by Hinduja Group.

 Shri Arun Jaitley launches NXT DIGITAL - Headend-In-The-Sky platform

Shri Arun Jaitley, Union Minister of Finance, Corporate Affairs and Ministry of Information & Broadcasting today launched the Headend In The Sky (HITS) digital platform initiative, under the brand name NXT DIGITAL promoted by Hinduja Group. Speaking on the occasion Shri Jaitley said that in view of the multiple carriage technologies the launch would provide consumers with wider choice. Shri  Jaitley launched the platform, by pressing a button which would provide viewers access to over 500 television channels of their choice - international, national, regional and local; besides a host of other services like e-applications and TV everywhere. Customers in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Punjab and Karnataka will now have greater access to channels of their choice with other states soon joining in. The platform is expected to give a fillip to the Digital India initiative and Make In India mission.

The NXT DIGITAL Broadcast Centre is a state-of-the-art next-generation MPEG-4 facility that has been designed and purpose-built to provide a variety of services to the cable distribution fraternity and their customers all across India. The technology is future-proof and would offer enhanced television experiences for the subscriber whilst allowing the cable fraternity to manage their networks effortlessly using new-age “cloud” solutions, with a minimal investment. The back-end technology systems are based on sophisticated and complex architectures that can even deliver unique services like television access on mobile devices and tablets as well as information dissemination services to laser-targeted localities by various agencies for Emergency Alerts etc.

Through NXT DIGITAL’s uniquely designed and assembled COPE (Cable Operators Premises Equipment), Digitalizing of Indian cities and the space of broadcast distribution would help India register quantum growth. The initiative will enable thousands of entrepreneurial cable operators to make a transition from analog to digital across an estimated 120 million homes in India.  Not only would it help cable operators and MSOs take their businesses to the next level but would also ensure compliance with the guidelines of the various regulatory bodies. Through them it seeks to empower the end consumer as the customer would have access to a new digital television experience.