News Broadcasting
Aggregator launches TV over broadband(TVoBB) service
MUMBAI: Aggregator Limited has announced the launch of its first TV-over-Broadband (TVoBB) service, a Russian language portal that is set to change the TV viewing habits of over half a million Russians living in the UK.
MoëTV (pronounced ‘my-oar TV’ meaning ‘My TV’ in English) will go live later this month and will provide a collection of on-demand entertainment, drama, current affairs, films, documentaries, music and children’s programming.
MoëTV is a service which combines the speed of broadband and the best in Russian television with high quality pictures and sound. Aggregator has secured licences for programming from over 20 content suppliers including Amedia, Discovery Networks, Mosfilm, MTV Russia, National Geographic, nTV and RenTV.
Consumers interested in the service can pre-register by going to www.moe.tv and entering their email address. The service will offer around 400 hours of programming at launch, growing to an average of 1000 hours, refreshed monthly.
MoëTV has no mandatory subscription charges, meaning consumers can choose to obtain content on a per-view basis of 99p to £2.99 per programme or to view unlimited content for a £15.99 monthly payment.
All that the viewer needs to do to receive MoëTV is a broadband connection from any ISP and a PC or laptop. Programming can be viewed on the PC or the TV using a media extender. Aggregator has built a unique TVoBB content delivery platform, based on open standards technologies, to provide the viewer with a quality and easy to use service – for example MoëTV can schedule downloads so that users don’t exceed their ISP’s monthly download limits.
“The launch of this service will provide broadcast-quality television services to the 500,000 Russian speakers in the UK,” said Aggregator’s co-founder and Director of Programming, Chris Griffin.
“This is a well-educated, affluent community that has grown rapidly in the UK but is woefully underserved by mainstream television platforms. MoëTV can ensure that they, and their families, stay in touch with their language and culture while they are living abroad,” Griffin added.
MoëTV is the first in a series of planned service launches targeted at niche audiences from Aggregator, the brainchild of senior television industry figures Martin Goswami and Chris Griffin. Aggregator’s TVoBB services will create a new UK pay-TV platform, an on-demand broadband service that will deliver high-quality content to ethnic and special interest communities that are currently underserved by the television market.
“In order to be successful and provide consumers with exciting services they are prepared to pay for, new TV delivery platforms such as IPTV and TVoBB need differentiated content. We are excited about the potential of a fast growing broadband universe, so we have created services that work best in an IP based environment,” said Aggregator’s co-founder and CEO Martin Goswami.
“It seems that many operators currently planning IPTV services are targeting audiences who are already well-served on existing platforms. We’ve looked at that model and rejected it. What we’ve done instead is to develop packages of the best content available for specialist audiences who are not part of the mainstream pay-TV franchise,” added Goswami.
Aggregator is well advanced with a number of services aimed at underserved communities and interest groups. In 2007, the company plans to bring all these services together under a common platform brand incorporating the Freeview channels and PVR functionality.
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
