Mukesh Ambani is all set to roll out JioFiber broadband service from Thursday across India. According to multiple reports, JioFiber will offer free high-definition TV sets and set-top boxes for annual lifetime subscribers to woo direct-to-home and cable TV customers.
Here's all you need to know ahead of JioFiber's launch:
1. JioFibre customers will get free voice calls for life from landline, 100 megabit (mbps) to 1 gigabit per second broadband speed for subscription starting from Rs 700 a month and a free HD TV set on commitment to an annual plan.
2. The offer by Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd., the tycoon’s wireless powerhouse, includes subscriptions to most premium streaming services with prices starting from Rs 700 a month.
3. JioFibre customers is likely to have access to movies and other video content of leading entertainment mobile apps, whose subscription fee will be bundled in the monthly broadband connection rates and no separate charges will be levied.
4. The STB (set-top box) will also provide video calling service on TV sets. The customer will need to attach a camera with the STB for the service, reported PTI.
Video-on-demand market
Telecom carriers around the world are adding entertainment content to their offerings as a way to compete for users and add revenue, especially in markets where the number of mobile subscriptions has reached saturation. In India, video-on-demand growth itself is explosive, according to Boston Consulting Group.
The market could leap to $5 billion by 2023 from $500 million last year, BCG estimates. The boom has set Bollywood production houses, carriers and streaming services racing to feed demand for TV shows and movies and compete for users. Paying subscribers will probably rise to as many as 50 million, while users of advertising-supported video-on-demand will reach 600 million, BCG predicts.
Airtel's Xstream
Early this week, Bharti Airtel announced a new STB for Rs 3,999 on Xstream platform to offer content of video streaming mobile apps, except few leading over-the-top players, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Videos and Hotstar.
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The Sunil Bharti Mittal-led company has offered complimentary access to entertainment streaming applications like ZEE5, Hooq, Hoi Choi, Eros Now, HungamaPlay, ShemarooMe, Ultra and Curiosity Stream for first year after which customers can continue their subscription by paying annual fee of Rs 999.
The STB can also be connected with Airtel's DTH service for accessing live TV channels. Jio already has a tie-up with Hotstar for mobile devices and partially owns Eros Now.
