Reliance Jio has slammed Bharti Airtel for submitting a grievance with telecom regulator over reside TV channels providing with JioFiber, saying the rival firm’s sole grouse was the cheap tariffs of JioFiber.
Jio dubbed fees made by Airtel as “deliberate malicious attempt to defame” RJIL’s consumer-friendly tariffs to guard “narrow interests”.
Jio in a letter to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) stated “Airtel should be warned against making such frivolous complaints in future”.
The offensive got here after Bharti Airtel instructed regulator TRAI that broadcasters are violating the downlinking coverage by offering broadcast content material to unregistered digital distribution platforms.
Airtel’s submission to the watchdog is seen as an obvious reference to Jio TV displaying IPL 2023 matches.
Jio referred to TRAI letter dated March 31, 2023 looking for feedback on Airtel’s grievance on alleged predatory gives of reside TV channels with broadband plans by Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (RJIL).
“At the outset, we submit that this complaint is a deliberate malicious attempt by Bharti Airtel to defame RJIL’s consumer friendly tariffs in order to protect its narrow interests,” Reliance Jio stated within the letter dated April 6, 2023.
Jio rebutted the fees saying it’s clear that each one the unsubstantiated claims of predation, non-level enjoying discipline, non-compliance with TTO’s and NTO are simply woven round this singular theme and “this complaint should be dismissed simply on the ground of being frivolous attempt to protect its own interests”.
“A close reading of the complaint letter would clearly establish that Airtel’s sole grouse is that JioFiber is offering reasonable tariffs to customers,” Jio stated within the letter seen by PTI.
JioFiber Backup tariff is an earnest try by RJIL (Reliance Jio) to attach all shoppers to fiber optics know-how with the intention to ship greatest in school connectivity companies, it wrote.
“We further submit that JioFiber Backup plan is a 10 Mbps FTTX plan at monthly rental of Rs 198 (plus taxes). This plan is available only on 5 months advance rental at one go. Further, the subscribers have the option to add add-on packs of Rs 100 or Rs 200 per month provided by Jio Platforms Limited (JPL) in order to get access to up to 14 OTT apps along with Jio’s OTT apps provided by JPL,” Jio stated.
So, it’s evident that RJIL’s product providing is proscribed to connectivity companies and it doesn’t embrace subscription to OTT functions or any broadcasting companies, it contended.
With the subscription of add-on packs, JPL gives entry to those apps via an OTT set prime field.
“JPL, as an aggregator, also provides a user interface in the form of another OTT app known as JioTV plus, which collates all the OTT channels/content available to a subscriber under his JioFiber subscription and on other free video sharing apps like YouTube and makes the same available together,” it knowledgeable.
The prospects can entry these channels via JioTV Plus app, which opens the channel within the OTT app.
These OTT apps embrace apps by main broadcasters in India like Disney+Hotstar, Zee5, Sony Liv, Voot Select, Sun Nxt amongst others in addition to digital feeds of sure TV channels.
According to Jio, all these broadcaster’s apps present entry to their reside channels on their OTT apps via web. By advantage of the shopper’s subscription to OTT apps together with JioFiber companies, in addition they get entry to those channels on OTT apps as properly “which is in line with current market practice even being followed by Airtel”.
A living proof is that Airtel additionally gives apps like Disney+Hotstar, Sony Liv, Lionsgate, HoiChoi and others with its fiber plans, Jio argued.
In respect of entry to channels on OTT apps, Jio stated that the availability of TV channels on OTT software is a permissible observe.
“It is evident from the above detail that JPL offers access to TV channels only as an aggregator through OTT application and not otherwise as alleged by Airtel and therefore Airtel’s complaint has no basis,” Jio stated.
Jio stated that Airtel has as a lot as admitted in its letter that the bundling of OTT functions with fiber/broadband is a standard market observe.
“As stated earlier, Airtel also offers subscription to various OTT applications. Thus, the comparison of the same with DTH is not relevant, Jio said.
TRAI and DoT, it noted, have opted to not regulate the OTT applications, therefore claims of predation and non-level playing field are irrelevant “as there can’t be a degree enjoying discipline between regulated and non-regulated companies”.
Jio’s letter, which gives point-by-point rebuttal to the concerns raised in Airtel complaint, concluded saying “Airtel’s grievance must be summarily dismissed”.
