Airtel to bring smart set-top box in the competition of Jio, can offer LED TV for free

Airtel

Bharti Airtel is set to give a tough competition to Reliance Jio's home broadband service GigaFiber. Airtel will bring a customized Android-based smart set-top box (STB) to provide users with digital entertainment and fast broadband services simultaneously, to compete with Jio Fiber. Airtel's Android Smart Set-Top Box can come with a new look, integrated tariff pack. The company will target mid-to-top end post-paid mobile users, home broadband and direct-to-home (DTH) digital TV customers. Two people directly aware of the development have given this information.

TV can be offered with super-premium tariff pack

Apart from this, Airtel can also offer free HD / LED television with a set-top box at super premium tariff packs. Airtel wants to compete with the 'welcome offer' offered by Jio to home broadband customers with this offer. There are reports that Airtel has started an integrated billing system internally in Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh and is set to roll out nationwide from next month. People familiar with the development said that Airtel could rollout its entertainment-cum-broadband tariff packs around the launch of Geofiber early next month.Customers will also get access to other services

A person familiar with the development said that customers choosing

Airtel's entertainment-cum-broadband services will have access to premium OTT content, streaming applications, HD television channels, virtual reality apps, and interactive gaming services. Airtel's high-speed broadband may have a potential base speed of 100 Mbps on select plans. The pricing and bundling strategy will be such that it remains competitive. Last week, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani said that Reliance Jio will launch home broadband services from 5 September. Jio GigaFiber plans will be in the range of Rs 700-10,000.