MEN has floated a wholly-owned subsidiary, MEN Interactive Network Ltd (MiNET), that will kick off the group’s broadband intentions with its launch of broadband internet service in the Indian city of Pune.

According to Mr. Ajit Pradhan, the chief executive of MiNet, the service will make internet access faster and more affordable. And, why not? Internet connectivity, given through the TV or the PC, at the subscriber’s option, will cost as low as Rs. 100 to Rs. 750 per month, depending on the range of services opted for by the subscriber. Further, the subscriber is also spared additional telephone costs.

The range of services extend from the very basic with 64 kbps speed, with mail, chat and browse facilities, to 512 kbps speed with value added options such as video and audio on demand, gaming services, web hosting, data storage and mining, dedicated leased line and server co-location.

While the company plans to start trial launch in mid-November, the service will be open to customer’s by the end of December 2000. The company has plans to launch the service in other cities including Ahmedabad, Delhi, and Bangalore will follow within the first six months, and connect 40 cites in a hub and spoke pattern by 2002.

Mr Pradhan said Pune was selected to launch the services due to its higher PC penetration, and its strong international gateway backbone. Pune boasts of two gateways, one belonging to the country’s international telephony provider, VSNL, and the other provided by the STPI, the software technology park set up the state government.

The city also claims to have a higher internet awareness among its cable operators, with a large section of cable operators already offering internet services through cable to its subscribers.

Cable operators are crucial to MiNET's working, since the last mile connectivity will be carried out through existing cable operators. This is where the parent company’s role comes in. MEN, with its presence in the cable TV market, has strong links with over 40,000 cable operators all over the country. MiNET too, is tying up with a number of cable operators to provide its services.

MiNET would be investing Rs. 94 crore on equipment, Rs. 190 crore on telecommunication costs (for upgrading last mile connectivity), and has planned for a revenue expenditure of Rs. 655 crore over the next five years