Dangeard: Big bang

Mumbai, July 19: The Thomson group has teamed up with the Tatas to enter the Indian media and entertainment market.

Thomson will work with Tata group companies VSNL and Tata Indicom to explore opportunities.

VSNL and Thomson will combine their expertise to offer high-quality services and cutting-edge technology in the sector.

They would also develop end-to-end solutions for network operators, including optimised satellite transmission, content management and distribution solutions. They will manage and deliver content for third parties, including broadcasters.

The alliance will help Tata Indicom beef up its content. Moreover, with VSNL and STAR planning to launch TSKY, a direct-to-home offering, the Thomson alliance will help it enormously, say experts.

The expertise of Tata Indicom and VSNL will help Thomson expand its broadcast, network and telecom activities, a joint press release said.

?The media and entertainment sector in India has seen unprecedented growth in the recent past due to the increasing appetite of the Indian consumer. Its potential is growing by the day. It is a challenging task for service providers like us to deliver state-of-the-art solutions that facilitate growth opportunities for our media and entertainment customers,? said N. Srinath, director (operations), VSNL.

?Our partnership with the Tatas brings exciting opportunities for Thomson and expands our presence in India, a market of strategic importance to us,? said Frank Dangeard, chairman and CEO of Thomson.

?In the short term, we will reap the benefits of working with VSNL, one of India's leading telecom groups. This should provide a solid basis for future growth in Thomson?s other core media and entertainment activities, such as services for content creators, from post-production to digital cinema,? Dangeard added.

The Thomson group is famous for its Technicolor, Grass Valley, RCA and Thomson brands.