Marshall Media and VSNL to Launch Video-On-Demand Service for Broadband Customers in India

GLENDALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VSNL (Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd.), the leading telecommunications company in Asia and the pioneer of Internet television services in India, has partnered with Marshall Media, Inc., to provide high-definition (HD) American infotainment to Indian broadband customers, using a video-on-demand digital streaming system.

“This is a great opportunity for both companies”

A member of the multi-billion-dollar Tata Group, VSNL currently caters to a subscriber base of 500,000 broadband and Internet users. Their widespread clientele includes major hospitals, multi-national corporations and Indian government offices. Earlier this year, VSNL's broadband services brand -- Tata Indicom -- launched both video-on-demand and pay-per-view, further leveraging their content throughout India. Please visit www.tataindicombroadband.in for more information.

Marshall Media, a Glendale, Calif.-based media technology company, will supply VSNL with video-on-demand programming in high-definition, ranging from infotainment to comedy shows. This content will be available via Windows Media Player for Internet streaming.

"This is a great opportunity for both companies," said Gary Kaufman, vice president of Marshall Media's digital media division. "VSNL has access to an enormous audience, and we are in a position to deliver the relevant, high-quality video product to serve it."

Infotainment shows will include Marshall Media's self-produced series, "Road to the American Dream," in which prominent U.S. lawyers are interviewed and discuss compelling social topics, such as immigration. In addition, other programs currently in development are healthcare seminars featuring industry-leading professionals, which will focus on pressing public issues like breast cancer awareness and pollution, as well as a series on healthier living. Each episode has a running time of 30 minutes and is being produced as a part of an informational series for VSNL's audience.

Going forward, Marshall Media also plans to offer VSNL and its broadband users live HD broadcasting for various types of events, with the help of VSNL's INMARSAT satellite communications services.

About VSNL

Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL), a member of the US$29 billion Tata Group, is a leading global communications company offering next-generation voice, data and value-added services to enterprises, carriers and retail consumers. Voted the Best Wholesale Service Provider at the World Communications Awards, 2006, VSNL is one of the world's largest providers of wholesale international voice services and operates one of the largest global submarine cable networks. VSNL's customer base includes 1500 Global Carriers, 450 Mobile Operators, 10,000 Enterprises, 500,000 Broadband and Internet subscribers and 300 Wi-Fi public hotspots.

Rated amongst the Top 100 Emerging Global Challengers by the Boston Consulting Group, VSNL has offices in over 35 countries including the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and India. VSNL's global transmission network of over 200,000 route kilometers and its IP core with 200 points of presence, enable a range of services that include voice, private leased circuits, IP VPN, Internet access, global Ethernet, hosting, mobile signaling and other IP services. Our philosophy of BusinessⁿRich drives us to empower our customers to achieve enhanced value in their global businesses.

VSNL (www.vsnl.com) is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India, and its American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) are listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

About Marshall Media, Inc.

Marshall Media, Inc. (MMI) is a privately owned media technology company involved in the creation and acquisition of high-definition (HD) audio-video content, the delivery of this content to end-users by means of next generation, high-resolution streaming over both the public Internet as well as traditional broadcast, cable, satellite and cellular systems, and the development of an innovative all-optical media transmission (AOMT) network infrastructure.

MMI is also involved in the development of a revolutionary digital data storage technology known as the Quanta Data Writer (QDW). This technology is capable of writing thousands of terabytes of data (yottabytes) -- several orders of magnitude greater than any other optical disc media. The QDW and its companion, the Optical Beam Router (OBR) universal optical reader, which will read QDW media along with CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray and HD DVDs, create a wider choice for content creators and end-users.

Applying these advanced technologies, MMI is entering the content creation and live broadcasting/streaming arena, with an initial focus on U.S. sports events, telemedicine, incident/emergency management and corporate communications.