Accra, March 14, GNA - Ghana Telecom, the nation's premier telecommunication company, has introduced a new product that would enable customers to enjoy video services through their Broadband4U Internet facility.

The new product known as Internet Protocol Television (IPT), expected to come on stream sometime in April this year, would enable GT broadband users to choose from a variety of video services. Mr Johnny Nettey, GT Broadband Manager, who announced this at a media interaction on Friday, said the only difference between the IPT and DSTV facility would be the absence of satellite dish that DSTV offered.

He said the broadband users would have a bouquet of video programmes from which they would subscribe from time to time when the IPT became operational.

Programmes to be offered would include sports, entertainment, movies, fashion shows, local and foreign news, children's channels and Frequency Modulation Channels.

Mr Nettey said as at March this year broadband4U subscriber base had shot up to about 14,000 with GT's target being 18,000 customers by the end of 2008.

He said the GT Broadband4U was currently in every regional capital and some district capitals adding, "GT Broadband4U is the fastest internet service growing facility that the country has ever experienced".

"GT is the only company that uses the most popular type of Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) which is Asymmetrical DSL (ADSL) and ensures high speed access to the Internet," Mr Nettey said.

He said the ADSL enabled people at home and office to have fast access to e-mails, information services on the web, music and video clips, complex websites with graphic and animation as well as games and a wide range of other Internet applications.

He said the benefits of broadband were numerous ranging from speed in accessing information, reliability, and convenience. Major Albert Don-Chebe (Rtd), Communications Manger of GT, noted that the company's Broadband4U, which started in August 2004, currently offered the lowest rate of Internet charges in the country. He noted with regret that in spite of the numerous benefits that broadband4U offered, many businesses in Ghana were still hooked onto the tradition dial-up system of Internet service that tied up the telephone line.

Major Don Chebe said businesses that had moved to broadband services continued to record increased efficiency in sales, cost savings and productivity and improved employee satisfaction.