iWorld
HFCL Infotel to launch consumer VoIP offering
MUMBAI: HFCL Infotel Ltd. (HITL), the private telephony operator in Punjab, is launching niche consumer Voice over IP (VoIP) service in the country. The company has associated with the US-based Vistula Communications Services for the initiative.
According to an official statement, HITL is expecting to launch the Vistula-enabled VoIP service in Q1 2006. The system will be fully hosted and managed by Vistulaa, a global supplier of flexible and reliable services to major telecommunications carriers, cable operators and Internet Service Providers.
Under the terms of the agreement, Vistula will integrate its V-Cube(TM) VoIP platform with HITL’s network, giving HITL a turn-key consumer VoIP service to market to retail and business clients. Additionally Vistula will be providing HITL with a pre-paid calling card solution which will give customers the ability to easily pay for international calls from virtually any computer terminal. The cards will be available at various retail outlets across Punjab initially and subsequently to other markets across India, the release adds.
“The combination of Vistula’s proven success in the VoIP industry, the fact that we can expect to launch the service within weeks of signing the contract and the calling card solution, which we believe has a great potential in India, were the most exciting propositions for us in choosing Vistula,” said HITL chairman Mahendra Nahata . “With Vistula’s help we’ll be able to bring the first niche VoIP service of its kind to India that will certainly attract customers both domestically and internationally. We are confident of an excellent customer response to this service which will be initially marketed to more than 300,000 of HITL’s already large subscriber base in Punjab.”
Vistula’s V-Cube(TM) based system will provide HITL with a customer web portal, soft-phone downloads and full VoIP on-net and off-net capabilities. In addition, V-Cube’s new billing capabilities will also integrate seamlessly with HITL’s existing billing platforms. Vistula will be building and managing the system for HITL as well as providing them with round the clock support.
“India’s VoIP market is valued at nearly $2.8 billion, and by fully leveraging our V-Cube(TM) platform, HITL will be well positioned to capture a sizeable chunk of this underserved market,” Vistula Communications chairman and CEO Rupert Galliers-Pratt said. “This project with HITL is the latest in a string of major global deals and effectively supports our position as one of the leading suppliers of VoIP services and solutions to major carriers and Internet Service Providers around the world.”
iWorld
T20 World Cup ’26: India–England semi-final sets global streaming record of 619 million views on JioHotstar
India–England semi-final records 65.2 million peak streams
MUMBAI: The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 set a new milestone in global sports streaming, as the India–England semi-final drew record digital audiences on JioHotstar.
The match on 5 March registered 65.2 million peak concurrent viewers, the highest ever recorded for a live event on any streaming platform worldwide. The semi-final also generated 619 million views, making it the most streamed T20 international match in history.
The landmark audience numbers were driven largely by viewers in India, setting a record achieved within a single market, rather than through aggregated viewership across multiple countries.
The high-scoring encounter between India national cricket team and England cricket team produced 499 runs across both innings, fuelling widespread fan engagement across platforms.
According to the International Cricket Council, the digital record surpassed the previous global benchmark of 65 million concurrent viewers, set in November 2024 by another international streaming platform.
Across television and digital platforms combined, the semi-final reached more than 320 million viewers, while total watch time exceeded 23 billion minutes, making it the most watched T20 international match ever.
“This World Cup demonstrates the immense passion of cricket fans and the progress made in bringing the game closer to audiences worldwide,” said ICC chairman Jay Shah.
“This moment reflects the scale of cricket fandom in India and the technological capability required to serve hundreds of millions of viewers simultaneously.”
JioStar vice-chairman Uday Shankar, said the audience surge underscored the future of large-scale digital entertainment.
“One in every three Indians tuned in to watch the second semi-final. Delivering such an experience at scale requires the very best of technology,” he said.
The 619 million views during the match also eclipsed the 533 million views recorded during the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
With the final yet to be played, the 2026 tournament has already set multiple benchmarks in audience reach and digital engagement.
India will face the New Zealand national cricket team in the final on 8 March at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The match will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network and streamed on JioHotstar.
