Bharti Airtel has sought permission from Department of Telecom in order to launch a new service called progressive download (PDL), reports The Hindu Business Line.

The PDL service would comprise of Video on Demand (VOD) and Catch-up TV, which will be provided under Unified Access Services Licence (UASL) as Internet protocol TV (IPTV) services, according to the report.

In order to use the PDL service a user will have to be an existing Airtel DTH and broadband customer. The PDL service monthly charges will be for subscription to channels on Catch-up TV. These channels would be pre-determined or selected by Airtel and would be available in recorded format for seven days.

Catch-up TV will help subscribers to watch TV shows after they have been broadcast and that too without recording them because these shows will be available for download. But, customers can watch the channel only if it is part of the DTH subscription.

Tata Sky, another strong player in the DTH market had launched a similar VOD and Catch-up TV service last year.

The number of active direct-to-home subscribers in India will touch 4.2 crore, making it the largest DTH market in the world by 2012, according to Media Partners Asia's (MPA) annual research report Asia Pacific Pay-TV and Broadband Markets 2011.