MAM
Orange rolls out UK’s first TV on mobile service
MUMBAI: Television on mobile is all geared up to be the next big thing as UK provider Orange, rolls out a mobile handset service, which will offer customers top TV shows and channels.
Channels such as Cartoon Network and CNN will be made available for a monthly subscription of ?10. This will be UK’s first TV-on-the-mobile service, which will allow customers to watch news, sport and entertainment programmes on their phone.
Running over Orange’s high-speed 3G network, the service – which will be available from next week – has an initial line-up of nine channels including ITN News, CNN, Big Brother, Celebrity Love Island, Comedy Time, Cartoon Network, Toon World, Fashion TV and extreme sports. Further channels will be available in the coming weeks.
All of the channels will be streamed over the Orange 3G network and are available through the new Orange TV section on Orange World. Customers need to be in 3G coverage to use the service.
Orange TV will initially be available on the Nokia 6680 from Orange, with further handsets to follow throughout the year. Customers can download the TV application for free from Orange World, then pay a subscription to watch the channels.
Orange chief marketing officer Alexis Dormandy said, “Our customers will be the first in the UK to watch TV on their mobiles, be that CNN or 24 hour coverage of the Big Brother house. This signals the start of a huge new opportunity for our customers, broadcasters, handset manufacturers and production companies.”
“We’ve partnered with some of the most respected broadcasters in the industry to ensure we offer a compelling and diverse selection of launch channels that match our equally diverse customer base. We’re talking to broadcasters about new, exciting content and we’re looking forward to adding more great Orange TV channels in the near future.”
In India, Hutchinson Essar launched the Hutch TV-on-mobile in September last year. The channels from where content would be available to Hutch users include CNBC-TV18, AXN, NDTV India, NDTV 24X7, Discovery, Sony, Zee TV, Max, Nick, ETV, Animax, Raj TV and Trendz.
Brands
IndiGo names William Walsh CEO
Former IATA chief to take charge in August after Elbers exit, Bhatia steers interim
India’s biggest airline has moved fast and gone global. InterGlobe Aviation, which operates IndiGo, has tapped aviation heavyweight William Walsh as chief executive officer, subject to regulatory approvals, marking a sharp pivot as the carrier eyes its next burst of expansion.
Walsh, currently director general at the International Air Transport Association, will step down on July 31, 2026, and is expected to take charge by August 3. The appointment comes barely three weeks after Pieter Elbers exited the corner office, with Rahul Bhatia holding the fort in the interim.
The choice signals intent. Walsh brings decades of cockpit-to-boardroom experience, having led British Airways and later International Airlines Group, the parent of Aer Lingus, Iberia and Vueling. His tenure across carriers has been defined by hard resets, restructurings and cross-border consolidation—skills IndiGo may need as competition intensifies and scale becomes decisive.
Vikram Singh Mehta, chairman and non-executive independent director of IndiGo, said Walsh’s experience in managing large-scale airline operations and navigating complex market dynamics makes him well-suited to lead IndiGo in an increasingly competitive global aviation environment, adding that the appointment marks a new chapter as the airline scales in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.
Rahul Bhatia said Walsh’s global perspective, operational expertise and customer-focused approach would be critical as IndiGo enters its next phase of expansion.
Walsh, widely regarded as one of the industry’s most influential figures, will oversee overall management and strategic direction, with a mandate spanning operational performance, network expansion, commercial strategy and customer experience. He is expected to work closely with the board and leadership team to sharpen IndiGo’s growth trajectory.
Walsh said IndiGo has a strong foundation and is well-positioned to capitalise on the evolving aviation landscape, adding that he looks forward to fostering a culture of excellence, innovation and sustainable value creation across the organisation.
A new captain, a bigger runway—and a market that rewards scale. IndiGo is lining up for its next take-off.
