India's Reliance Comm, Microsoft in pact for IPTV - papers

MUMBAI, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Reliance Communications (RLCM.BO) has tied up with Microsoft (MSFT.O) for technological collaboration for internet protocol television and software development for mobile phones, Indian newspapers reported on Saturday.

Reliance Communications Chairman Anil Ambani and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer are expected to make a joint announcement on Monday, when the latter is in India, the Hindustan Times and Business Standard newspapers said.

The papers quoted Ambani telling analysts earlier this week that Reliance Communications would launch IPTV services in Mumbai and Delhi by the end of this year, and had finaised the technological backup for this.

State-run Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL.BO) and private sector Bharti Airtel (BRTI.BO) have already launched IPTV services, while several other operators are in the process of rolling out these services.