The Tata Sons and 21st Century Fox joint venture recently launched its 4K/Ultra HD set-top box just ahead of the on-going cricket World Cup, and with the new service subscribers can watch video up to four times the resolution of the standard high definition (HD) video currently available.

Ericsson will provide HEVC-based compression technology for 4K distribution using high resolution 1080P50 format.

"Tata Sky is committed towards delivering a world class TV viewing experience to its customers," said Tata Sky CEO Harit Nagpal. "As the discerning customers of today look towards the future of TV, we are pleased to extend our partnership with Ericsson to deliver next generation 4K ultra high definition technology to our customers in India."

Ericsson claims that its solution is the most efficient in bandwidth use and will achieve substantial saving of expensive and valuable satellite transponders. "Ericsson is delighted to partner with Tata Sky to roll out India's first commercial 4K video service," added Chris Houghton, head of Ericsson's region India. "Superior technology, proven industry leadership and service excellence from Ericsson enables Tata Sky to offer a differentiated and future proofed digital experience to its subscribers."