News Broadcasting
Argent Networks launches convergent billing and mediation for IPTV
MUMBAI: New Zealand technology and telecommunications solutions company, Argent Networks announced that it was launching a new application for Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) billing and mediation as part of its leading ArgentEclipse Convergent Billing and CRM solution.
Argent Networks provides solutions for the voice, data, video and mobile sectors of the global telecommunications market.
This means that IPTV manufacturers and service providers who use ArgentEclipse get a host of added features such as provisioning, CRM/CTI, pre-paid and post-paid billing options, as well as automatic EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) updating for the complete range of IPTV services.
ArgentEclipse now also provides event-based billing for IPTV applications including video on demand, pay-per view, video broadcasting, gaming, content and IPTV telephony services, as per an official release.
Argent Networks CEO Chris Jones says the ArgentEclipse suite of products is the ideal solution for new and existing broadband, cable and TV operators wishing to get into the burgeoning global IPTV market.
“Worldwide demand for IPTV is expected to be huge as broadband is now available to more than 100 million households. Given that many of the biggest telecommunications providers are investing in IPTV for both their residential and business markets, our product is exactly what they need. With ArgentEclipse’s modular and fully convergent CRM and billing products, IPTV operators can now expand their offerings to subscribers, giving them one simple, easy bill for all telephony, data and now video offerings.”
Jones also says that the ArgentEclipse IPTV solution provides IPTV manufacturers and service providers with a far more comprehensive suite of applications than has been available before.
“This means that IPTV manufacturers and service providers who use ArgentEclipse get a host of added features such as provisioning, CRM/CTI, pre-paid and post-paid billing options, as well as automatic EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) updating for the complete range of IPTV services.”
In addition, Jones says that IPTV subscribers will be provided with options for self- provisioning and subscription to new services, access to online EPG, PVR (personal video recorder) support, online payment and customer services options.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
