Airtel digital TV, the DTH service by Bharti Airtel, has jumped onto the agri-information bandwagon, launching a new “interactive” service called iKisaan.
The service will add to the five such services already launched — iLearn, iNews, iDarshan, iGoodlife and iAstro — priced at Rs 10 to Rs 15 each. The services are based on dissemination of information through special applications downloaded onto the set top box and activated through the remote.
The iKisaan service, for example, will give district-specific, real-time information to farmers on items like the price of crops in the local market, weather information, farming advice and rates of pesticides, seeds etc..
Farmers can decide when to harvest their crop depending on the price of the specific crop at the local market. The service, however, will only be available in the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Jharkhand.
The service is enabled by software provider ‘Handygo.’
Similarly, iDarshan enables customers to enjoy Live Aarti from the four shrines-Tirupati, Vaishno Devi, Golden Temple and Shirdi.
Nokia too has launched a very similar service, called Lifetools, using a special software installed on some of its handsets.