ISLAMABAD - The latest launch of IPTV service of Pakistan Telecom Company Limited has received ample response from the public, which is evident from their frantic queries about the service. According to a PTCL press release, it had announced the launch of PTCL Smart TV, a technological breakthrough of the first ever-interactive television service in the country a few days ago. This service along with 'High speed Broadband Internet' and voice telephony is available on the subscribers existing telephone lines at the same time on one telephone bill. The service is available to households in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad from the August 14, and will be extended to other cities and towns in due course At the inauguration of Smart TV services, Dr Sadik Al Jadir stated that PTCL has been providing basic telephone connectivity to the people of Pakistan since its inception in 1947. For almost 50 years, PTCL was the only source of keeping people in touch with each other in Pakistan. However the global spread of mobile communications technology also reached Pakistan and affected the spread of fixed line. Now once again, PTCL has become the first and only service provider in Pakistan, but for another type of service; i.e 'Interactive Television'. Syed Zomma Mohiuddin informed the media that PTCL Smart TV promises to change the way people view television in Pakistan. "It uniquely bundles the offering of Telephony, Internet Broadband and Interactive TV all on the same telephone line. It is based on the IPTV platform, the service will enable customers to rewind and pause 'live' channels (Time Shift TV) so that viewers can pause a programme, attend to another task and again come back to start from where they had left or view a programme that they might have missed by rewinding the programme. Moreover, it also enables the customers to lock and unlock any live channel (Parental Control), if parents deemed it unsuitable for their children. In addition to that, the service enables people to search their favorite movies (by title and cast) and watch them (Video on Demand)", said Mr Mohiuddin.