Reliance Jio has strongly criticized Bharti Airtel’s complaint to the telecom regulator (TRAI) concerning live TV channel offerings with JioFiber. Jio had argued that Airtel’s complaint was based on their dissatisfaction with JioFiber’s affordable tariffs.
Jio called Airtel’s accusations a “deliberate malicious attempt to defame” Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited’s consumer-friendly tariffs to protect “narrow interests”. In a letter addressed to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Jio said, “Airtel should be warned against making such frivolous complaints in the future”.
The rebuttal came after Airtel reported to TRAI that broadcasters were violating the downlinking policy by providing broadcast content to unregistered digital distribution platforms. The submission made by Airtel to TRAI is believed to be specifically referencing the broadcast of IPL 2023 matches on Jio TV.
In reference to Airtel’s complaint about RJIL’s alleged predatory offers of live TV channels with broadband plans, Jio cited TRAI’s letter dated March 31, 2023, which solicited feedback on the matter.
“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 said in the letter dated April 6, 2023.
Jio rebutted the allegations, stating that Airtel’s claims of predation, non-compliance with TTO’s and NTO, and the absence of a level playing field were all based on the singular theme of JioFiber’s reasonable tariffs and asserted “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 said in the letter.
“We further submit that the JioFiber Backup plan is a 10 Mbps FTTX plan at a 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 said.
“JPL(Jio Platforms Limited), 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 informed.
Jio stated that its JioFiber Backup tariff aims to provide superior connectivity services to all customers through fiber optics technology, without including any subscription to OTT applications or broadcasting services. However, customers can obtain access to these services by subscribing to add-on packs that come with an OTT set-top box.
Customers can access these channels via the JioTV Plus app, which opens the respective OTT app. These OTT apps include major Indian broadcasters like Disney+Hotstar, Zee5, Sony Liv, Voot Select, Sun Nxt, and digital feeds of some TV channels.
Jio contended that Airtel also provides access to apps such as Disney+Hotstar, Sony Liv, Lionsgate, and HoiChoi with its fiber plans. Furthermore, Jio stated that providing TV channels on OTT applications is a permissible practice.
“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 said.
Jio pointed out that Airtel has effectively acknowledged in its letter that bundling OTT applications with broadband/fiber plans is a common practice in the market.
“As stated earlier, Airtel also offers a subscription to various OTT applications. Thus, the comparison of the same with DTH is not relevant, Jio said.
Jio mentioned that both TRAI and DoT have chosen not to regulate OTT applications, so allegations of predatory behavior and an uneven playing field are baseless since “regulated and non-regulated services cannot be on a level playing field”.
In its letter, Jio provided a detailed rebuttal of the concerns raised in Airtel’s complaint, and ultimately stated that “Airtel’s complaint should be summarily dismissed”.