Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is not falling back behind the line in the broadband sector. Although things could be troubling for the state-led telecom operator in the prepaid segment, the largest broadband provider in India has kept its guard with a constant stream of offers, new plans and revisions to keep the new and existing subscribers engaged with something new. Now in a new move, BSNL has debuted yet another new plan which is likely to get the attention of the subscribers as it comes with special benefits. Now we have already heard about the Amazon Prime benefit which BSNL has been providing with some of its plans and also a plan which ships with Hotstar subscription. This new plan will be a part of this league as it will offer Hotstar subscription too. The new plan launched by BSNL has been titled the “SUPER STAR 500” plan and here are all the details that you need to know about it.

BSNL SUPER STAR 500 Plan Details: Speed and Data FUP

The interesting thing to note about the SUPER STAR 500 plan is that it will come in two variants. The plan will be available in two options which would include a DSL plan and a Bharat Fibre plan. By now, you would have deduced that the Bharat Fibre plan will offer better speed as compared to the SUPER STAR 500 DSL plan. Under the Bharat Fibre subscription of this plan, the subscribers will get 50 Mbps speed, whereas, under DSL plan the subscribers will get up to 10 Mbps speed. The after-FUP speeds on this plan would be 2 Mbps. Lastly, as the name suggests, the SUPER STAR 500 plan comes with 500GB FUP data. BSNL has also noted that this plan would be available across all circles except Andaman and Nicobar.

BSNL SUPER STAR 500 Plan Details: Rentals

Speaking of rentals, the BSNL SUPER STAR 300 plan would set back the subscribers by Rs 949 per month. Although this plan looks attractive on the first look, there are some things that the subscribers should note about this plan. The first thing being; that there would be no annual, two years or three years payment option with this plan. This also means that there would be no cashback offer available under this plan. Notably, BSNL is offering a 25% cash back on select broadband plans’ annual subscription. But, this plan would be not eligible for the same. The subscribers of this plan would have to pay one month’s rental as the security deposit on this broadband offering.

BSNL SUPER STAR 500 Plan: Hotstar Subscription

When it comes to benefits, the SUPER STAR 500 plan comes with a complimentary Hotstar Premium pack without any additional cost. If the subscribers were to get an annual Hotstar subscription, it would cost them Rs 999 annually. Another benefit which the plan will ship for its subscribers is the unlimited calling. The subscribers will be able to access 24 hours local and STD unlimited free calling to any networks within India.

BSNL Withdraws Rs 999 Broadband Plan

With the information of this new plan, BSNL has also notified about the withdrawal of the 15GB plan. The 15GB plan by BSNL, like the name points out, used to offer 15GB data per day at up to 10 Mbps speed. The monthly rental of this plan was Rs 999. So, essentially, BSNL is now replacing the Rs 999 broadband plan with the Rs 949 SUPER STAR 500 plan which offers 500GB monthly data instead of 450GB data benefit per month. However, the subscribers of the Rs 999 plans had the benefit of getting an annual subscription plan. With this plan, the subscribers had the option of getting the 25% cashback as well.

BSNL SUPER STAR 300 Plan Also Offering Hotstar Subscription

Another interesting thing to know for customers interested in getting a BSNL broadband plan is that the new SUPER STAR 500 is not the only plan which comes with Hotstar complimentary subscription. BSNL also offers the SUPER STAR 300, which comes with Rs 749 monthly rental and provides the Hotstar complimentary subscription. This plan ships 300GB of data every month at 50 Mbps speed and unlimited calling to all networks.

JioFiber is currently expanding its reach as part of the commercial launch which took place earlier this month. We already know that JioFiber’s broadband plans start at Rs 699 and they go all the way up to Rs 8,499. The base speeds offered by Reliance Jio is 100 Mbps and the customers can choose up to 1 Gbps plans. Ahead of the launch of JioFiber, there was a report saying that the company is providing 50 Mbps speeds even with 100 Mbps plans, but the ground reality was different. Under the JioGigaFiber Preview offer, Jio offered two plans to the customers- a Rs 4,500 one and a Rs 2,500 one. The Rs 4,500 preview plan shipped with a dual-band router that supports 5GHz networks, whereas the Rs 2,500 plan arrived with a router that supports only 2.4GHz band. So the speeds were capped. However, a new report now says that Jio is providing this 2.4GHz router after taking the Rs 2,500 security deposit.

JioFiber Speeds Capped to 50 Mbps on Jio Home Gateway Router: What Does it Mean?

A report from 91mobiles reveals that Reliance Jio is clearly mentioning that the speeds from the router which the company provides will be up to 50 Mbps. The publication has managed to obtain a pamphlet of JioFiber which states “speed up to 100Mbps on LAN/Ethernet and up to 50Mbps on Jio Wi-Fi Home gateway.” So it seems like Reliance Jio is providing the 2.4GHz router to the customers which will, of course, offer the speeds of up to 50 Mbps only.

So if you want to enjoy the full 100 Mbps speeds, you will have to purchase a dual-band separately. Also, the router which Reliance Jio provides is on a refundable basis and even the Set-Top Box will be taken back when you plan to remove the connection entirely. Jio also says that 100 Mbps speeds can be obtained via a LAN/Ethernet connection.

What Speeds Does Other Broadband Operators Provide With 100 Mbps Plans?

I have an ACT Fibernet connection in Hyderabad which offers speeds of up to 100 Mbps. And the router which am using right now is a dual-band one. On 5GHz band, the router delivers speeds of up to 98 Mbps, however, when switched to 2.4GHz band, the speeds which I receive are maximum of 48 Mbps or lower. Basically, Jio is providing a 2.4GHz router to the customers by collecting Rs 2,500 security deposit which isn’t a bad thing. But customers will have to purchase the router additionally to enjoy the maximum speeds. The report also says the same as they got in touch with a JioFiber technician who confirmed that the router is indeed not a dual-band one.

Should You Be Worried About This Move from Reliance Jio?

Summarising, Reliance Jio is doing nothing wrong as the company is shipping a 2.4GHz router with its Rs 2,500 plan for a long time. Also, it seems like the pamphlet obtained by 91mobiles is from the JioFiber Preview offer period as it clearly displays ‘No Monthly Rental Until Plan Launch.’ But right now, we don’t have exact information of which router is being provided by Reliance Jio as part of its commercial launch.

Reliance Jio is still collecting Rs 2,500 security deposit from the customers because it will be providing them a 4k Set-Top Box and complete Jio Home Gateway solutions. We will update this space once the company makes an official announcement. For the unaware, JioFiber commercial plans start at Rs 699 and it ships with 100 Mbps speeds along with 150GB FUP limit. JioFiber plans also come with free fixed-line voice calling service called JioFixedVoice.

While hybrid set-top boxes are all the craze in the market right now, a broadband service provider is attempting to make its way into the homes of the consumers by means of its new consumer product. The brand that we are talking about is ACT Fibernet, one of the leading broadband service providers of India and the consumer product in the limelight is the ACT Stream TV 4K. The ACT Stream TV 4K is one of the popular OTT streamers available in the market right now. Using this device, the subscribers can stream OTT content while switching away from the satellite TV channels. The ACT Stream TV 4K gives a solid competition to a lot of similar services and devices out there which include Tata Sky Binge, Amazon Fire TV Stick and more. The box retails for Rs 4,499 in the market. If you are considering getting the ACT Stream TV 4K, then here are the top five features of this box which you must keep in mind.

Live TV

While OTT services mostly refer to video-on-demand and other related services, Live TV has also become one of the major offerings in the market right now. With so many applications available for free to the consumers, the viewers are consuming Live TV channels over the internet instead of from the TV channels directly. Another advantage is easy navigation as the consumers can flip between VOD content and live TV channels inside the ACT Stream TV 4K UI. Currently, the Stream TV 4K offers 100 Live TV channels, but in the coming time, the service provider will add more Live TV channels to the mix.

Android 9 Pie

The ACT Stream TV 4K OTT streamer comes with Android 9 Pie. It is one of the few devices out there, especially in this category which boots the Android 9 Pie. This means that the users can have access to Google apps and the Google Play Store to download more apps. The box also extends support for the Google Assistant as well.

Single Click Subscription

This is one of the unique features which ACT Stream TV 4K and ACT Fibernet users can enjoy. Owing to the many content partners which ACT Fibernet has, the subscribers can simply get a subscription to any content streaming platform with a single click, and the particular amount for the subscription will be billed alongside the ACT Fibernet bill every month. However, this feature would only be available for ACT Fibernet subscribers using the ACT Stream TV 4K.

Prime Content

The ACT Stream TV 4K offers a wide range of content which includes thousands of movies and TV shows. The OTT streaming box offers access to apps like Netflix, Sony Liv, Hooq, Zee5 and many others are available for streaming on this device along with 3000 plus apps available on the Google Play Store for download.

4K and Dolby Audio

The ACT Stream TV 4K also earns a differentiated name in the industry because of the quality that it offers along with the many features. When it comes to video, the users of the box can access 4K content which is available in the high definition resolution of 3840 X 2160 pixels. Also, in terms of audio, the users get a high-quality output courtesy of the Dolby Audio which creates powerful, realistic sound effects.

Hathway Broadband has been providing a 300 Mbps broadband plan in Chennai city for over a year now. The Internet Service Provider (ISP) promised to launch the same 300 Mbps plan in other cities sometime early in 2019, however, that did not happen due to some reasons. Announced back in October 2018, Hathway’s 300 Mbps plan was priced at Rs 1,699 per month, but right now, Hathway is no longer offering the same plan on a monthly basis. Instead, the 300 Mbps broadband plan from Hathway is available in two forms- six months and 12 months. If a customer opts for 12 months, then the overall amount to be paid by the user will be Rs 14,999, which means an effective monthly price of Rs 1,249. Furthermore, users will also be eligible for a free Wi-Fi Mesh Solution worth Rs 16,399. Sadly, the plan is available only in Chennai city right now.

Hathway 300 Mbps Broadband Plan Detailed

Hathway Broadband has been providing some interesting broadband plans to the customers for a while now. In Hyderabad city, the ISP is running an offer under which users will be able to avail a 50 Mbps unlimited FUP plan for a lifetime at Rs 399 per month. In Chennai city as well, the company has some decent broadband plans besides the 300 Mbps broadband plan.

The 300 Mbps broadband plan from Hathway comes in two variants- six months and 12 months, priced at Rs 9,999 and Rs 14,999, respectively. If a customer chooses the plan for six months, then the effective price per month would be Rs 1,666, but the same plan can be availed for 12 months or one year at an effective price of Rs 1,249.

This is a stellar offering from Hathway. As for the benefits, users will be able to enjoy up to 300 Mbps speeds, 2TB of FUP every month and after FUP speeds of 5 Mbps. As mentioned above, this plan from Hathway is only available in six-month and one-year subscriptions.

In addition, Hathway will provide users with a free Wi-Fi Mesh solution worth Rs 16,399. Hathway has teamed up with TP-Link to provide this Wi-Fi solution to the customers. According to Hathway, the Wi-Fi Mesh solution covers the entire house as it features three Wi-Fi bands and it can also be controlled through Amazon Alexa. This Wi-Fi Mesh solution is a decent addition as well.

Hathway Other Broadband Plans in Chennai

Alongside the 300 Mbps broadband plan in Chennai, the company is also providing three more broadband plans in the same city. The first plan in the list is Gpon Value that costs Rs 949 per month and offers 100 Mbps speeds with 1000GB FUP limit every month. For three months, the plan costs Rs 2,847, for six months the charges are Rs 5,694, and for 12 months, the charges of the plan are Rs 11,388.

There are two plans from Hathway Broadband in Chennai- Gpon Hero and Gpon Turbo, offering speeds of 150 Mbps and 200 Mbps respectively. Both the plans provide 1000GB of FUP limit every month and the Gpon Hero costs Rs 999 per month while Gpon Turbo can be availed for Rs 1,049. These are affordable high-speed plans from Hathway Broadband. Both the Gpon Hero and Gpon Turbo can also be availed in three-month, six-month and one-year packages.

Unfortunately, Hathway does not have any Unlimited Data broadband plans in Chennai. In Hyderabad and Kolkata, the company has several unlimited data plans, but that’s not the case with Chennai. With long-term plans, users will also be eligible for Hathway Playbox streaming dongle that runs on the Android TV platform.

Tata Sky has been intensifying its efforts in the DTH and broadband segment both. While Tata Sky is not as popular as a broadband service provider as compared to how it is known as a DTH operator, that is not because it’s plans are not attractive. Being a newcomer in the industry, Tata Sky is actually offering some very attractive plans to its broadband subscribers. These plans come with unlimited data and fixed GB options, and they are available in more than 20 cities across India. What’s more to note is that these plans also club some long term discounts as well. So, if you were to subscribe to select plans for a long term, then you are likely to get a discount. In the Hyderabad region too, the company is shipping some attractive broadband plans. Here are some of the notable ones.

Rs 1,399 Unlimited Data Plan with One Extra Month of Service

The first plan that we are considering is the unlimited data plan in the Hyderabad region. We all know the recent craze in the industry about 100 Mbps speed and Tata Sky is not being left behind in this bandwagon. The operator ships 100 Mbps plans in many of the cities, with both fixed GB and unlimited options. In the Hyderabad circle, there is the 100 Mbps plan which comes with unlimited data and the option of 3 months subscription. The rental for a total of three months for this plan comes out to be Rs 4,197, which means that the subscribers will pay Rs 1,399 per month effectively. The subscribers of this plan would also be glad to know that this plan ships one extra month of service too. So, essentially, in Rs 4,197 the subscribers get 4 months of 100 Mbps, unlimited data bringing down the effective monthly price to Rs 1,049.

Long Term Subscription Options With 100 Mbps Unlimited Plan

The plan is also available in 7 months and 12 months subscription option as well. In the 7 months subscription option, the subscribers will enjoy three months of extra service, meaning that the effective monthly cost for the plan comes down further to Rs 979. The other benefits of the plan include a free router, free installation, and safe custody. As for the 12 months subscription option, the subscribers will enjoy an extra service period of six months. This means that the subscribers will pay for an annual subscription and enjoy an extra half a year of service.

The total monthly rental for this period is Rs 16,788, and the effective monthly price of this plan comes down to Rs 932 per month. As you can see, if you were to get a three-month subscription, you are likely to get around Rs 400 discount per month if you subscribe to a yearly plan. The benefits of the plan like, free router, free installation remain the same.

30 Mbps, 50 Mbps and Other Unlimited Data Plans

In this Tata Sky broadband portfolio, the subscribers can also opt for other plans which include 50 Mbps speed and 30 Mbps unlimited data plan. The 50 Mbps plan in the region is available for Rs 3,447 for three months translating to an effective monthly rental of Rs 1,149 and the 30 Mbps plan is available for Rs 2,847 translating to an effective monthly rental of Rs 949. These unlimited data plans are also available with one month extra, three months extra and six months extra service options with the 3-months, 7-months and 12-months subscription options respectively. Tata Sky, however, does not have any fixed-GB plan options in the region, unlike other regions. But, given the pricing of these plans, the subscribers are definitely bound to like these unlimited data plans.

Reliance Jio had all the eyeballs towards itself when the company announced the plans and pricing of its fibre-based broadband service, JioFiber. At the start of the month, Reliance Jio finally introduced the broadband service for the Indian people and also told how much the service would cost for the subscribers. What was the real attraction, though was the freebies which the JioFiber plans came with. While Reliance Jio also announced the data benefits and the attractive broadband speeds, it also brought together new services and offerings like the Welcome Offer with a free TV, the bundled free Jio 4K set-top box and more. However, with all those offerings now out in the open, there are some other features of the JioFiber connection which have been put on a backseat. Here we focus on those features of a Reliance JioFiber connection, which not a lot of people might know about.

Jio Wi-Fi Mesh

The Jio Wi-Fi Mesh is something that will strengthen the signal of the JioFiber Wi-Fi at the homes of the subscribers. It is quite possible that you are already familiar with the mesh technology which signal repeaters use to extend the signal of a Wi-Fi to a further parameter. JioFiber will be offering this very functionality under the Jio Wi-Fi Mesh feature. Using this, the subscribers of JioFiber will be able to access high-quality Wi-Fi signal at the corner of their house to ensure interruption-free streaming and high-speed gaming.

Wi-Fi IDs for Guest

This is another unique feature which the subscribers of JioFiber will enjoy. Many times, guests coming to your home need to access the Wi-Fi and sometimes you might not be very comfortable sharing your Wi-Fi password directly with these guests, in these situations, the Wi-Fi guest ID feature will come into play. Using this feature, you will be able to give your guests access to your JioFiber Wi-Fi without giving them the password directly. You will be able to provide them with a separate ID and password to login to the Wi-Fi. This would ensure that unauthorised entities do not use your network.

Smartphone or Landline Intercom

Another unique feature which you can use to your advantage while having the Reliance JioFiber connection at your home is easy connectivity to the reception of your society. If you would like to quickly reach out to the security guard, the reception area or any other central place of your society where you are living in, then you can configure your smartphone or the landline to act as an intercom between the two areas.

Easy Data Sharing with Local Devices

The users on the same network of JioFiber will be able to access centralised data with much ease using the JioHome app on their smartphones. The users will be able to easily share pictures, videos, files, and much more over the network. Not only this, but the users can also decide to connect their storage such as a hard drive to the Jio Home Gateway setup or the router to access the files on that storage over the network using the JioHome app at any time they want.

Gaming Control through Smartphones

One of the uses a fast connection such as the Reliance JioFiber is in gaming and Reliance Jio in itself is delivering latency-free gaming experience to its users. With this, the telecom operator has also said that the JioFiber connection will support all popular gaming controllers and for the ones that do not have a controller, they would be able to game on the network with a virtual controller which will be available on their smartphones.

The broadband sector in India right now is booming with new plans, discounts, offers and whatnot. The coming of Reliance JioFiber in the country has sparked a new wave of competition between the existing broadband players and the new entrant in this playing field. The latest trend in the sector seems to be of providing ultra-high speeds for the consumers to make streaming, downloading and online gaming a breeze. As a result, we are getting to see plans above 100 Mbps which are ideas for most users and in some cases, even plans with 1 Gbps speed to cater to gaming needs or IoT devices. Alliance Broadband is also one company shipping some attractive plans which start at the measly price of Rs 500 per month and go beyond the Rs 10,000 per month mark for higher speeds. Here are the plans by Alliance Broadband.

Alliance Broadband Plans Up to 100 Mbps Speed

The first plan under the Alliance Broadband roster is the Starter plan which comes with Rs 500 monthly rental. This plan is the very beginning one in the list of other plans, and it offers 60 Mbps speed to the subscribers for the entire month without any FUP. It is worth noting that Alliance Broadband is not offering any special or extra benefits with its plans. So, the subscribers will pretty much only get the unlimited data in Rs 500 with 60 Mbps with this plan.

Alliance Broadband Plan Above 100 Mbps Speed

The Zoom Plan, which is the second in the list, is available for Rs 600 per month, and it offers 70 Mbps speed with unlimited data. The Prime+ Plan by Alliance Broadband offers 80 Mbps speed with unlimited data, and it is available for Rs 650 per month. Next up, there is the Preferred+ plan by Alliance Broadband which comes for Rs 850 per month, and it offers 100 Mbps speed.

Above the Rs 1,000 price mark, Alliance Broadband offers plans which ship more than 100 Mbps speed. First in this segment is the Premium+ plan which offers 120 Mbps speed and it is available for Rs 1,150. Then, there is the Speed+ plan which ships 150 Mbps speed and the monthly rental of this plan has been set at Rs 1,500. The Flash+ plan in the roster provides 200 Mbps speed, and the monthly rental for this plan is Rs 2,600. It should be noted that all the Alliance Broadband plans come with unlimited data so the subscribers can be assured that they would not have to worry about running out of data at any given point of time during their subscription.

Alliance Broadband Plans With 1 Gbps Speed

Going further up the ladder in these plans, Alliance Broadband also has the Innovator plan which ships 500 Mbps, and of course, unlimited data and the monthly rental of this plan has been set at Rs 7,000 per month. Lastly, there is the Gigablast plan which, as the name suggests offers 1 Gbps speed to the subscribers with unlimited data, and it sets back the subscribers by Rs 13,500 per month.

Competitive Plans by Reliance JioFiber and Others

It is worth noting that in the competition, Reliance Jio has also got a 1 Gbps speed plan under JioFiber, and now even Airtel has rolled out a 1 Gbps offering under Airtel Xstream Fiber for Rs 3,999 per month. In comparison, JioFiber Titanium plan offers 5000GB data at 1 Gbps speed for Rs 8,499 per month along with other benefits like VR experience, OTT subscriptions, HD or 4K TV, free voice calling etc. These benefits are not available in Alliance Broadband plans, but instead, the unlimited data is what remains the attraction of the plans mentioned above. It is worth noting that the plans mentioned above are for the Kolkata region, Alliance Broadband also has its operations in other parts of the country as well, and the subscribers can opt for FUP plans as well.

Reliance Jio has brought a new offering for its users, and it is a fibre-based home broadband service called the JioFiber. While most people sum up JioFiber merely as a fibre broadband offering, that is certainly not the case. What makes JioFiber attractive for most of the consumers out there is not only the high-speed broadband service that JioFiber offers but also the other bundled services that the telecom operator has introduced for the customers. For example, under the Welcome offer of Reliance Jio, the subscribers get to enjoy extra data, or they can also get a new 4K or HD TV, along with other services like latency-free gaming and more. Reliance JioFiber also ships OTT subscriptions as well to the users. However, amongst all these bundled services and features, there is also one called the TV Plus. Here is what the JioFiber TV Plus does.

Integrated Platform for Jio Set-Top Box

On its JioFiber official website, Reliance Jio has noted that the TV Plus is an integrated, platform that brings together TV shows, movies, video on demand and other applications. Now the keyword to note here is “integrated platform.” Notably, Reliance Jio already has ample of platforms which offer Live TV and OTT content which includes video-on-demand. However, until now, there was not any integrated service from Reliance Jio that would offer these in a united way. By integrated platform, Reliance Jio means to say that the subscribers of JioFiber would be able to access TV shows, movies and other VOD content at a single place.

JioFiber TV Plus Features

Further, Reliance Jio has also noted that it will offer a 4K set-top box with every JioFiber connection as part of its welcome offer. Now we already know that this set-top box will be a hybrid set-top box which will provide a unified experience to the users amalgamating the satellite TV channels and the OTT content. This set-top box will actually have the TV Plus platform as its driver, which means that the JioFiber TV Plus would be the platform which would empower the applications onboard the Jio Set-Top Box. The Jio Set-Top Box remote will give the users control over the TV Plus platform. Using the Jio STB remote, the subscribers will be able to flip between channels and also switch between OTT content and satellite TV channels. There will also be a feature which will allow the subscribers to pause, rewind and play TV shows whenever they want.

Applications on the TV Plus Platform

It is worth noting that Reliance Jio’s JioFiber will come with a set-top box free of cost as part of the JioFiber Welcome offer. The telco has also noted that the STB is worth Rs 6,500. However, the catch with this set-top box is that the subscribers would have to get a separate cable or DTH connection to get the satellite TV channels on their TV. While the TV Plus platform will avail applications like Hotstar, ZEE5 and other popular OTT apps onboard the TV, the subscribers will have to get a separate subscription for them, as Jio has not defined which OTT subscriptions it will bundle with the JioFiber connection. The JioFiber connection will come with more features like the TV video calling, Home networking, Security and Surveillance and gaming as well.

Atria Convergence Technologies (ACT Fibernet) has been venturing into different segments since the start of 2019. Earlier this year, ACT Fibernet announced an Android TV-based box called ACT Stream TV 4K Box that runs Android 9 Pie. After being in the testing phase for several months, ACT Fibernet has finally announced customers can avail it by paying Rs 1,500 as security deposit amount. For now, the ACT Stream TV 4K is available in just four cities- Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Delhi and Chennai, but the company says it will work on bringing the box to other cities as well in the coming months. Also, ACT Fibernet says customers will have to return the ACT Stream TV 4K box within six months to receive the paid Rs 1,500 amount, post which the refundable amount will be reduced to Rs 250. The ACT Stream TV 4K can be availed with only a few plans at the moment.

How to Get ACT Stream TV 4K Device if You’re an ACT Fibernet User?

To recall, the ACT Stream TV 4K was priced at Rs 4,499, but as a special launch offer, the Internet Service Provider (ISP) is offering the device at a refundable deposit of Rs 1,500 on select plans across four cities. ACT Fibernet broadband customers will also get one month of free ZEE5 Premium subscription worth Rs 99 for free and two months of HOOQ subscription. As mentioned in our first impressions article last month, the ACT Stream TV 4K allows users to watch Live TV and there are some premium channels too. ACT Fibernet also confirmed that all the premium Live TV channels could be viewed for free on a complimentary basis until December 31, 2019.

ACT Stream TV 4K Eligible Broadband Plans

Both existing and new ACT Fibernet broadband customers can purchase the ACT Stream TV 4K box, the company confirmed earlier. Talking about the eligibility plans, in Hyderabad city, customers subscribing to A-Max 1050, A-Max 1299, A-Max 1999 and ACT Giga broadband plans can avail the device.

In Bengaluru, the eligible broadband plans are ACT Storm, ACT Lightning, ACT Incredible and ACT Giga; In Delhi, customers subscribing to ACT Platinum Promo and ACT Diamond variants can avail the device. And lastly, in Chennai, the ACT Blast Promo, ACT Storm, ACT Lightning, ACT Thunder, ACT Incredible and ACT Giga plans are eligible for the device. All the plans mentioned above are available for the customers in six and 12 months subscription offer.

After purchasing the device from ACT Fibernet’s website, it will be delivered at the customer’s house within five days.

ACT Stream TV 4K: Key Features

As you might be aware of, the ACT Stream TV 4K is an Android TV box with support for Google Play Store. This essentially means that the users can download over 3000 apps available in the Play Store. The box already comes bundled with Netflix, Hotstar, YouTube, HOOQ, ZEE5, Sun NXT, SonyLIV and so on. Recently, Amazon Prime Video has been added to the Google Play Store on Android Box devices, so the OTT streaming content side is entirely covered.

Plus, ACT Fibernet is providing Live TV service, which is also useful for the customers. As the name itself suggests, the ACT Stream TV 4K box is a 4K device and also has Dolby audio support. It runs on Android 9 Pie and has 5 Ghz Wi-Fi support as well. The remote also comes with voice assistant support.

ACT Fibernet Security Deposit Refund: How it Works?

ACT Fibernet also revealed some details on how the refundable security deposit works. If an ACT Fibernet customer on any of the eligible plan chooses the ACT Stream TV 4K box, the company will provide it at Rs 1,500 which is completely refundable. But there are some catches to this offer. If the customer returns the box within six months with all the accessories, then ACT Fibernet will credit the Rs 1,500 amount to the customer’s account. If a customer chooses it to return after six months, then their account will be credited with Rs 250. That being said, for ACT Fibernet customers, it’s a good deal, especially if you watch a lot of content has doesn’t have a Smart TV in your home.

When Reliance JioFiber made its debut in India approximately a month back, the interested users were not fascinated by the high-speed data services as much as they were from the freebies that Reliance Jio had to offer with its broadband connections. There were rumours in the market before the arrival of the service that Reliance Jio would offer free TV services along with its FTTH service, JioFiber. However, when the service was launched, we came to know that a separate cable TV connection would have to be bought by the subscribers to access satellite TV channels on their TV. But, Reliance Jio did promise a free Set-Top Box for the JioFiber subscribers as part of the JioFiber Welcome offer. However, there has been a new development in this regard, as we have come to know that select subscribers of JioFiber are still getting the preview offer from Reliance Jio, but there is a catch to it.

JioFiber Preview Offer Still Available: Benefits and Other Details

If you recall properly, before the actual arrival of Reliance JioFiber, the telecom operator had started offering the services under a testing period with a Preview Offer. As part of this Preview Offer, the customers getting a Reliance JioFiber connection could enjoy many benefits. Some of the benefits included a lower upfront deposit amount which was set at Rs 2,500 and out of this, the consumers were not charged anything as the installation amount, and the installation was free. The subscribers were also getting bonus data in the form of 40GB sachets which they could use in case they ran out of data. The monthly data FUP for the Preview Offer customers was set at 100GB like it is the case with the entry-level plan from JioFiber. The Preview Offer also brings the complimentary subscription to Jio apps like JioSaavn, JioTV and more.

Some Subscribers Can Still Get JioFiber Preview Offer

Now in a new update, we have come to know that although the prices and plans for JioFiber have been declared and they are out in the market, some customers are being offered the new connection under the Preview Offer meaning that they will get to enjoy the extra data coupon benefits, the zero installation charge and more. This news comes from Twitter where some customers have reported a similar experience of Jio representatives approaching them and offering them a new connection and that new connection being under the Preview Offer.

The information about the Jio Preview Offer is also live on the official Jio website as well. The website notes that the offer still holds good and that the subscribers would be able to reap the benefits of this new offer.

TV Services With Set-Top Box Also Available for JioFiber Customers

Then there is the question of whether or not the subscribers will get the TV services along with the JioFiber connection. In this regard also, a few customers have tweeted saying that although they have not yet received the Jio Set-Top Box, they have received the information that they will get a free TV connection as part of the subscription, and they would not have to pay anything more apart from the subscription amount which they are paying for broadband. The customers were also told they would receive the Set-Top Box after the regular monthly billing starts. The Jio representative installing the JioFiber equipment also informed the customers that they would be getting around 640 channels once the TV services start.

ACT Fibernet has been one of the leading broadband service providers across the country. In cities like Hyderabad and Bengaluru, the operator boasts of many subscribers, and it is in these cities that ACT has really made a prominent stronghold in the broadband market. However, a few years ago, the company also expanded to the national capital, New Delhi, where it introduced a few plans. The problem with these new plans was that they were not as attractive as their counterparts in the other cities of India, and that was the reason, other broadband service providers dominated over ACT Fibernet. But, now in a new move, ACT Fibernet has revised its broadband plans in New Delhi, thus making them more attractive. So, here are the new plans by ACT Fibernet in New Delhi.

ACT Fibernet Plans With 100 Mbps Speed Starting at Rs 749

The first plan itself by ACT Fibernet could be one of the most attractive one for the consumers as it is the cheapest and offers ample speed and data. The plan that we are talking about is the Rs 749 ACT Silver Promo plan, and it offers 500GB data at 100 Mbps speed. Along with this plan, the subscribers get 1000GB extra data as well. The post FUP speed in this plan is 512 Kbps.

Going up the ladder, then we have the 150 Mbps ACT Platinum Promo plan which comes with 1000GB data and it also ships with 1000GB extra data. The post FUP speed in this plan stands at 1 Mbps. ACT has set the monthly rental of this plan at Rs 999 per month. Hence if you are looking for a broadband plan under Rs 1,000 in Delhi, then this could be your choice. It is worth noting that this plan also comes with the Netflix offer that ACT Fibernet offers.

Further up, we have another plan which offers 150 Mbps speed except this one comes with more FUP data and a better after FUP speed in case you run out of it. The data offered in this plan is 1250GB, and along with this, subscribers also get the 1000GB extra data benefit. The after FUP in this plan is 2 Mbps, and the rental has been set at Rs 1,249. This Diamond plan by ACT Fibernet also comes with Netflix offer.

ACT Fibernet Plans With 125 Mbps Speed

If you can make do with a plan which offers speeds somewhere between 150 Mbps and 100 Mbps, but more data is what you seek, then this next plan might really make sense for you. The plan in question here is the ACT Remarkable plan which offers 125 Mbps speed and 1500GB data per month along with the 1000GB extra data benefit. The after FUP speed in this plan is also 2 Mbps. The monthly rental plan for this plan has been set at Rs 2,999.

ACT Fibernet Plan With 150 Mbps Speed and More Data

The last two plans in the ACT Fibernet portfolio also come with 150 Mbps speed, but being higher priced, these plans come with better data offering too. First is the ACT Exceptional plan which comes with 2000GB data, 1000GB extra data and 2 Mbps after FUP speed for a monthly rental of Rs 3,999. Lastly, there is the ACT Phenomenal broadband plan which ships 150 Mbps data speed and 2500GB FUP data. With this plan, too, there is the 1000GB extra data limit meaning that the total data benefit under this plan is 3.5TB. The after-FUP speed in this plan is 2 Mbps, and the monthly rental has been set at Rs 4,999.

In the run-up to the launch of the FTTH based, JioFibre broadband service by Reliance Jio, the broadband industry has gone extremely competitive. This is apparent in the sector as we are getting to see new plans, offerings and discounts from the broadband service providers and telecom operators. However, there is also the matter of which kind of plan the subscribers want to use. Because long gone are the times when the landline method was the only way to get an affordable broadband connection. With the fibre-optic cable becoming a mainstream thing in the market, it has become a question in the mind of many subscribers as to which option they should go for – a landline-based connection or a fibre-based connection. The difference between the two lies in the kind of technology both of these methods use. Here is how they compare.

Understanding Cable Broadband Connections

When it comes to cable broadband, the connection uses simply what the name implies. The cable broadband connection is based on a co-axial cable which is used to connect your home to the internet. It is worth noting that co-axial cables are based on a technology which has long existed and it is simply a copper wire wrapped in an insulation which has been adopted most widely in the DOCSIS 3.x standard. These cables have been in widespread usage majorly for the transmission of cable TV signals. So, if you have a cable TV connection, then you can most certainly recognise this kind of technology. Although this technology is in widespread usage right now, there are somethings which it is susceptible to which pose a little hindrance while facilitating high-speed internet connections.

Differences Between Cable Broadband and Fibre-Optic Technology

On the other hand, we have the fibre broadband connections which are based on fibre-optic cables. So, instead of a co-axial cable being used for last mile connectivity, the fibre broadband connection uses a fibre-optic cable for last mile connectivity. The fibre-optic cable uses an interesting technology, wherein it uses light to transmit information. So, instead of signals which are sent over the copper cable in case of cable broadband, the signals are sent by reflecting through the fibre-optic cable which is much faster and lossless. There is also a difference in the quality of transmission as the cable signals are much more prone to disturbances from the external factors and noises, whereas that is not the case with fibre broadband,

These advantages of fibre broadband not only increase the speeds and the connection quality for the end user, but it also saves money for the broadband companies as they do not have to install repeaters more often to enhance the signals of the connection. The major difference is in terms of speed since copper cables, such as Cat5e and Cat 6, can provide Gigabit speeds (1Gbps), signal quality and speeds both take a hit after about 100mts (around 325ft). Whereas, the fibre-optic cable is able to retain the signal for long with much attenuation and crosstalk. However, with all these advantages, fibre-optic is harder to repair in case it gets damaged during maintenance or construction.

Fibre Broadband and Cable Broadband: Pricing

When it comes to pricing and availability also, it is worth noting that in most tier II and tier I cities, the cost difference between fibre and cable broadband is negligible, and most telecom operators and broadband service operators are providing FTTH (Fibre-to-the-Home) connections. There are also the factors to consider that cable and DSL based broadband connections are not able to match the speeds which fibre-based broadband provides. Even though the cable broadband internet might be a little cheaper, the negligible cost difference and other factors point us towards the choice of fibre-based broadband as being the much better one.

One of the best examples for this can be seen on the BSNL broadband portfolio, which offers both DSL and fibre connections. While the DSL broadband plans offer a maximum speed of up to 24 Mbps, the BharatFibre connection goes as high as offering up to 100 Mbps speed on its plans and offers much more options. Hence, it can be said that if you are thinking of getting a new broadband connection and you seem to be confused between cable broadband and fibre broadband connection, then fibre is the way to go.

Reliance JioFiber has a lot going for it as it’s officially the first service provider in the country to offer Triple Play plans to the customers. JioFiber commercial launch happened last month and the company even announced new plans starting at Rs 699, providing minimum speeds of 100 Mbps. It’s already a piece of confirmed news that JioFiber broadband plans will come bundled with landline connection and a 4K-ready Set-Top Box as well. But there’s an interesting thing to note here is the company will not provide any Cable TV subscription to the JioFiber users. So to watch content on the Jio 4K Set-Top Box, customers will have to choose Cable TV connection from a Local Cable Operator whose charges will have to paid separately as well. Right now, it’s confirmed that Hathway, Den Networks and GPTL Hathway offering Cable TV services to the JioFiber users.

Reliance Jio Set-Top Box: The Things You Might Not Know

It is worth noting that Reliance Jio is currently charging a security deposit of Rs 2,500 from every new customer of JioFiber. Out of this Rs 2,500, the Rs 1,000 is going to be non-refundable installation charges, whereas the Rs 1,500 will be the refundable amount. As part of this connection, every JioFiber subscriber will also be provided with a Jio Set-Top Box.

Now previously it was believed that Reliance Jio would also offer a TV connection since it was providing the Set-Top Box. But, during the commercial launch, it was revealed that the consumers would have to get an LCO connection separately to pair up with the Jio Set-Top Box to actually access Satellite TV channels. This essentially means that without getting a separate LCO connection, the Jio Set-Top Box won’t be of much use to the subscribers.

Why Reliance JioFiber Subscribers Will Have to Get an LCO Connection?

The reason why this is the case is that Reliance Jio could not materialise its plans to bring IPTV (Internet Protocol TV) to its subscribers. Instead, the Mukesh Ambani led telecom operator went ahead and bought a majority stake in Hathway and DEN Networks to leverage their last-mile connectivity. Another reason was that the company was facing massive resistance from these companies regarding the bringing of IPTV as it would have put them out of business. So, Reliance Jio is now going to empower the LCOs, by getting them connections through the JioFiber subscribers who would get the Set-Top Box as part of the JioFiber connection.

So, in case you are going ahead with the decision of getting a JioFiber connection in the hopes that you will be getting a free TV connection as well, sadly that won’t be the case. But, in case 100 Mbps speed, free content, and those are things that you would like to enjoy, then the Reliance JioFiber connection can make sense.

Also, we have got to know that Reliance Jio is inviting all the LCOs to join its network and provide television channels to the JioFiber users through its Set-Top Box. At the moment, it’s unknown how many LCOs are even part of the entire JioFiber programme.

JioFiber Users to Get Jio TV Plus Service Bundled

At the time of announcing the JioFiber broadband plans, the company emphasised a lot on the content partnerships it’s going to bring in the coming months. The dedicated web page of JioFiber confirms that all the JioFiber customers will be able to access a new service called ‘Jio TV Plus,’ which may bring all the subscriptions from OTT apps together. Right now, we don’t have any additional regarding the Jio TV Plus service, but we’re expecting the company to announce full details in the coming weeks.

JioFiber New Users are Receiving 2.4GHz Router

Before the commercial launch, JioFiber connection was available in two forms- a Rs 4,500 security deposit one and a Rs 2,500 model. The only difference between the two subscriptions is the router. With the Rs 2,500 subscription model, the company is shipping a 2.4GHz router and the Rs 4,500 model arrived with a dual-band (2.4GHz and 5 GHz) router. Several users are now reporting that JioFiber new customers are receiving a 2.4GHz router which will limit the speeds to just 50 Mbps through the router.

Hathway Broadband has removed FUP limit on broadband plans in some cities to tackle the threat from JioFiber and Airtel Broadband. In Hyderabad city, we have noticed the removal of the FUP limit by Hathway on all the broadband plans. Even in some other cities like Vellore, Mumbai, the company has removed FUP limit on some broadband plans, but not all of them like it did in Hyderabad. Hathway Broadband has a wide-range of plans in Hyderabad, offering speeds of up to 125 Mbps. Even before the removal of the FUP limit, Hathway has the best broadband plans in Hyderabad, but now, they are even better. The move from Hathway comes at a time when Reliance Jio is ramping up its subscriber addition with JioFiber triple play plans. Also, other broadband operators like Airtel V-Fiber, You Broadband are also providing affordable plans in the same city.

Hathway Broadband 125 Mbps Broadband Plan With No FUP Limit at Rs 649 per Month

As noted, Hathway is providing broadband plans with speeds of up to 125 Mbps in Hyderabad. The 125 Mbps broadband plan in Hyderabad costs Rs 649 per month (excluding taxes) if a customer chooses it for one month. So at Rs 649+taxes, Hathway users will be able to get a 125 Mbps plan without any FUP limit. We have reached out to Hathway Broadband to get clarity on the offer and the ISP confirmed to TelecomTalk that the offer applies only to the new customers. So the existing users of Hathway Broadband will still be capped at a certain limit every month.

Hathway also has a 100 Mbps broadband plan in the city priced at Rs 599 per month (excluding taxes). Also, for customers choosing the broadband plans for a longer period, Hathway will also provide an option of getting the Hathway Playbox Android TV dongle at no extra cost on a returnable basis.

As we have reported earlier, Hathway Playbox is being offered to the customers choosing broadband plans for a minimum of two months. With Hathway Playbox, users will get free subscriptions to OTT apps like Netflix, Sun NXT, ZEE5 and Yupp TV. Hathway Playbox users will get free access to Netflix for a period of two months (four months, including the first free month from Netflix alone). ZEE5 Premium subscription will also be given to the users, along with one year of free access to Sun NXT. All these subscriptions combined will come around Rs 2,500 and it’s a good deal to the users.

Hathway Broadband vs JioFiber Plans

Unlike Hathway, JioFiber plans are the same in all cities where the company is planning to launch services. Broadband plans from several operators differ with every city, but Internet Service Providers like Airtel and JioFiber are trying to change it in recent times. Airtel’s broadband plans are similar in several cities, but in some cities like Hyderabad, Vijayawada, they’re providing better plans to lure more users on board.

JioFiber has a 100 Mbps broadband plan with just 150GB of FUP limit and it’s priced at Rs 699 (excluding GST). These plans do not even match the plans from Hathway in some cities like Hyderabad. But JioFiber even offers a user landline calling service called ‘JioFixedVoice,’ but there’s no such service from Hathway Broadband.

Also, Hathway is not providing any 1 Gbps broadband plan, whereas Jio’s premium plans ship with up to 1 Gbps speeds and a whopping 5TB limit.

Over a year and a half from just being a broadband provider in select cities, Tata Sky broadband has now become a major broadband service provider. This is mainly because Tata Sky Broadband is also amongst the other broadband companies who offer attractive plans at attractive prices. There are plans by Tata Sky broadband which come with unlimited data and high speeds which are ideal for users looking to stream content or play games. There are also fixed GB plans in the Tata Sky portfolio which come with data carryover feature, which is another attractive offering from Tata Sky. The Tata Sky broadband customers will also be able to get some long-term offers on the Tata Sky broadband plans which will make these plans even more worthy buying for them.

Tata Sky Broadband Plans With Unlimited Data

The most interesting portfolio of broadband plans from Tata Sky is in Ahmedabad circle where a lot of plans come with unlimited data. The starting plan in this range is the Rs 590 plan offering unlimited data at 16 Mbps speed with free router and data rollover. There are also plans with unlimited data available at Rs 700 offering 25 Mbps, Rs 800 offering 50 Mbps, Rs 1,100 offering 75 Mbps and Rs 1,300 offering 100 Mbps. Interestingly, the subscribers of Tata Sky broadband will be able to access 100 Mbps internet with no limit for Rs 1,300 per month only in Ahmedabad. In this region, there are only two fixed GB plans of Rs 650 and Rs 1,000 and they offer 100GB and 300GB respectively at 50 Mbps.

Tata Sky Broadband in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Other Cities

Similarly, in the Mumbai circle too, Tata Sky is offering three unlimited plans, but they start at a slightly higher price point. The unlimited data plan from Tata Sky here begins at Rs 999, and it offers 25 Mbps speed. Next up, Tata Sky offers Rs 1,249 plan with 50 Mbps speed and Rs 1,599 plan with 100 Mbps speed. In Hyderabad circle, the service provider offers unlimited plans, but the minimum subscription period is three months. Tata Sky broadband customers will be able to get 30 Mbps unlimited data connection at Rs 2,847 for three months, 50 Mbps at Rs 3,447 and 100 Mbps connection at Rs 4,197.

Tata Sky Broadband Expand Operations to 21 Cities

The Tata Sky broadband portfolio in New Delhi is the same as in Mumbai when it comes to unlimited data plans consisting of plans worth Rs 999, Rs 1,249 and Rs 1,599. In addition to these, there are obviously a lot of fixed GB plans to choose from. It is also worth noting that initially, Tata Sky had started its services from 14 cities, but only last month, the service provider has expanded its operations to 21 cities including cities like Surat, Indore, Navi Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune, Jaipur and more. Additionally, Tata Sky broadband is offering plans for 3 months, 5 months, 6 months and 12 months on different rates for the subscribers.

Tata Sky Broadband Offering Up to Six Months of Extra Service

Just like you would see extra service months in DTH offers when subscribers get a connection with an upfront payment, they get some benefits from the DTH provider, Similarly, Tata Sky is offering some benefits to its subscribers in the form of long-term connection. Therefore, when Tata Sky broadband subscribers get a connection for six months, or seven months, they will be able to enjoy extra service months from Tata Sky Broadband. If a customer chooses the plan for nine months, Tata Sky Broadband will credit an additional four months of service for free. If a Tata Sky Broadband users in Hyderabad chooses a 100 Mbps Unlimited Data plan for 12 months by paying Rs 16,788, then the company will provide additional six months of service.

Most of the broadband service providers are aggressively partnering with OTT content providers to offer bundled services. Airtel is the best ISP right now because it’s bundling Netflix, Amazon Prime and ZEE5 subscriptions with its broadband plans. Last year, state-run telco Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) announced its partnership with Amazon Prime to provide free subscription to the company’s postpaid and broadband users. Earlier, BSNL offered Amazon Prime subscription with its monthly broadband plans priced above Rs 790. However, now the leading broadband operator in India is shipping Amazon Prime subscription even with its annual broadband plans priced above Rs 399. This move from BSNL maybe to tackle the JioFiber threat which is expected to replace BSNL at the top spot in broadband segment.

BSNL-Amazon Prime Offer: What You Need to Know?

BSNL is looking to take on JioFiber launch with this new Amazon Prime offer. To recall, when the company first collaborated with Amazon Prime, it used to provide free subscription with the plans priced above Rs 749. Later on, the same offer was extended to broadband plans priced above Rs 499, and today, the government-run operator has extended to broadband plans priced above Rs 399. BSNL, being the country’s leading broadband operator, has wide-range of plans starting at just Rs 99. However, the high-speed broadband plans of the operator start at Rs 849, which ships with 50 Mbps speeds and 600GB data limit.

Amazon Prime subscription costs Rs 999 for one year and it includes benefits of Prime Video, Amazon Prime Music, free product shipping and access to exclusive deals ahead of others. If a customer is looking for Amazon Prime membership for just one month, then they can get it at Rs 129 per month directly from Amazon.

BSNL Annual Cashback Offer Detailed

Aforesaid, BSNL is even providing up to 25% cashback on annual broadband plans. In addition to the Prime membership which ships with BSNL annual broadband plans, there will be 15%, 20% and 25% cashback being offered by the company at different price points. BSNL will offer 15% cashback on broadband plans up to Rs 499, 20% cashback on plans between Rs 499 and Rs 900, and 25% cashback on broadband plans of Rs 900 and above. BSNL is also offering 15% cashback on annual landline plans, which we reported earlier as well.

Airtel Also Providing Amazon Prime Membership With its Broadband Plans

Bharti Airtel is also shipping free Amazon Prime subscription with broadband plans priced over Rs 1,099. Airtel is offering this benefit as part of the company’s membership programme- Airtel Thanks. All the Airtel V-Fiber broadband plans priced over Rs 1,099 now ship with free Amazon Prime membership worth Rs 999, Rs 1,500 worth Netflix subscription for three months, premium ZEE5 subscription and Airtel TV Premium subscription as well. That said, when it comes to content offerings, no other Internet Service Provider in this country can beat Bharti Airtel. However, JioFiber is also said to come with some OTT service subscriptions, of which the details will be revealed on September 5.

BSNL vs Airtel Broadband Plans

As mentioned above, when it comes to content offerings Airtel is the best broadband and postpaid service provider. Airtel’s broadband priced over Rs 1,000 ship with free Netflix subscription for three months, Amazon Prime Membership worth Rs 999 for free and ZEE5 Premium subscription every month. BSNL is providing only Amazon Prime Membership with its broadband plans above Rs 399 and that too if a customer choose them for one year. Airtel is providing all these benefits even with monthly broadband plans, unlike BSNL.

The broadband sector in India has been flourishing since the past few months, and we have seen the launch of some of the most attractive fibre-based broadband plans in the country. This has majorly been because of the coming of Reliance JioFiber in the nation which has propelled the other broadband service providers to ramp up their offerings and provide better services to the customers to remain competitive. Now, the biggest broadband service provider of the country, BSNL is also not far behind in this race. Although the state-led telecom operator is suffering financially and has weak offerings when it comes to the 4G network, in broadband, that is definitely not the case. BSNL has Bharat Fiber plans under its banner which offer fibre-based broadband, high speeds and massive data. There is one plan for Rs 2,499 under BSNL’s broadband portfolio which compares to the Reliance JioFiber plan of Rs 2,499. Today we look at how these two plans fare.

Reliance JioFiber Rs 2,499 Diamond Plan Benefits

Firstly, we will look at what Reliance JioFiber is offering for the monthly rental of Rs 2,499. It is worth noting that the Rs 2,499 fibre-based broadband plan by Reliance Jio is the Diamond plan and it offers speeds up to 500 Mbps. Also, as per the Reliance Jio official website, the plan will offer 1250GB FUP data to the users, and along with this, the subscribers will also enjoy 250GB extra data, meaning that the total data offering in this plan would be 1500GB or 1.5TB. The after-FUP speed in this plan would be 1 Mbps for the subscribers. As for the additional benefits, the subscribers will enjoy free voice calling, video calling, zero-latency gaming, VR experience, and premium content. As part of Jio Welcome offer, the subscribers will get a free Jio 4K Set-Top Box, Jio Home Gateway, and they will also have the option of choosing from 24-inch HD TV, two extra months of service and double data.

BSNL Rs 2,499 40GB CUL Broadband Plan Benefits

As for the BSNL Rs 2,499 broadband plan, the subscribers of this 40GB CUL Bharat Fiber plan will enjoy up to 100 Mbps of speed, and the data offering under this plan would be structured differently as the subscribers will get a daily FUP limit. The daily data limit, as you can guess from the name of the plan would be 40GB per day, and after the FUP exhaustion, the speed would be throttled down to 40 Mbps. Besides this, the subscribers would get unlimited calling to any network and complimentary Hotstar subscription for a year.

Which One Should You Go For?

Between both of these plans, the Reliance JioFiber plan offers 1.5TB data, whereas, the total data offering for the BSNL broadband plan is 1.2TB for the entire month and it comes with a daily data cap as well. Not only more data, but the Reliance JioFiber plan also offers five times more speed at 500 Mbps as compared to the BSNL Rs 2,499 broadband plan. Also, the subscribers of the JioFiber plan could opt to have double data benefit, an HD TV or other benefits which are part of the JioFiber Welcome Offer. So, in terms of additional benefits as well, the Reliance JioFiber plan trumps the BSNL 40GB CUL plan. While BSNL only offers a Hotstar subscription, Reliance JioFiber has much more to offer like OTT access, VR headset, Jio 4K Set-Top Box, low-latency gaming amongst others.

Reliance Jio’s FTTH service is live in the country, and the subscribers are getting the JioFiber connections to their homes. However, a lot of subscribers still continue to enjoy free services from Reliance Jio for their broadband connections and the reason is not that Reliance Jio is extending the preview offer for its new customers, but instead, it has something to do with Reliance Jio’s billing structure. As per an ET Telecom report, Reliance Jio currently does not have a stable billing method, and the Mukesh Ambani led telecom operator is busy shifting to another billing system which is yet to stabilise. This is the reason why Reliance Jio is not able to charge its customers for the broadband services although the telecom operator commercially launched the JioFiber service on September 5 itself, meaning that it’s almost two months since the service has been commercially launched.

Reliance JioFiber Customers Still Enjoying Free Services

As per the people aware of the matter, this shift to a new billing system for Reliance Jio could mean that the telco might be delayed in the monetisation of its fibre-broadband service. That is not it. The sales staff and the marketing people in the company are yet to be fully trained to sell the company’s broadband plans which are much different than what the other telecom operators or broadband service providers offer. Reliance JioFiber service provides broadband plans which start from Rs 699 per month and go as high as Rs 8,499 per month. These plans ship high-speed data with speeds from 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps. Not only this, the Reliance JioFiber plans come bundled with lots of add-ons like a Jio 4K Set-Top Box, OTT app subscriptions, VR experience, video calling, voice calling, low-latency gaming and more.

On Friday, Reliance Industries Limited, the parent company of Reliance Jio will release its July-September results which would also include the financial performance of the telecom operator. The Reliance Jio customers who had signed up for the service even before the commercial launch of the JioFiber are not currently being billed by Reliance Jio. It is worth noting that in the preview offer period, or when Reliance Jio was testing its broadband services, approximately 5 lakh people had joined in and taken a Reliance JioFiber connection. These 5 lakh people have not yet been approached by the Reliance Jio representatives for billing. Not only this, the new customers of Reliance JioFiber who have deposited Rs 2,500 security deposit are enjoying the services for free as well, similar to the customers who had joined earlier.

How Long Will the Free Party Last?

One of the sources said about this, “Actual billing of JioFiber services will take a while to start as the company is moving from a pure mobile services billing system to a converged one, capable of billing customers for both 4G mobility and home broadband services.” Another person familiar with the matter said that technically the Reliance JioFiber customers were being billed, but they did not have to make any payments. It was being done so that the company can keep on running checks on its billing system so that once actual billing starts, there are no discrepancies.

It is also interesting to note that some customers of Reliance JioFiber continue to enjoy the preview offer from Reliance Jio, under which they were enjoying 100 Mbps speed and 1100GB of data owing to the 40GB bonus packs which Reliance Jio had provided to these subscribers. The subscribers who have been on the broadband connection for months now are also not being asked to pay anything as of now. However, experts on the matter have said that further delay in the billing of these subscribers might hurt revenue opportunities for the telecom operator which has been witnessing falling Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) since the last seven quarters.

The broadband and the DTH industry are two sectors in the country which are seeing a lot of competition from the players in the field. While the DTH sector became competitive with the arrival of the new Trai tariff regime, the broadband sector went through a similar phase in the run-up to the launch of the Reliance JioFiber service. However, as a result, now we have a lot of operators which provide high-speed broadband plans to their subscribers with speeds upwards of 100 Mbps and that too not at very exorbitant prices. Tow major broadband players in the field right now are ACT Fibernet and Hathway broadband, and both of these operators offer many plans in that speed range. However, there is one operator which is a little better than the other.

Major Difference Between Hathway and ACT Fibernet Plans

When we look at the broadband portfolios of both Hathway and ACT Fibernet there is one striking difference between both and that is in the number of plans and the speeds up to which both of these operators ship for their subscribers. While ACT Fibernet has a lot of plans which come with speeds beyond 100 Mbps, and which go as high as 1 Gbps, Hathway has not that competitive plans as the highest speed that Hathway Broadband subscribers can get measure up to 150 Mbps only, in the Bangalore region. But, with that being said for most subscribers the 100 Mbps to 150 Mbps speed would be sufficient for streaming content and browsing and as such, these plans come with an affordable price tag.

Hathway and ACT Fibernet Plans Under 100 Mbps

While ACT Fibernet has its broadband portfolio starting with 40 Mbps plan, Hathway Broadband also offers 20 Mbps and 30 Mbps option to its subscribers. The 40 Mbps plan by ACT Fibernet offers 200GB data per month, and it comes with a post-FUP speed of 512 Kbps along with a Rs 685 monthly rental. On the other hand, the 50 Mbps broadband plan from Hathway Broadband offers 500GB data per month with a 4 Mbps after-FUP speed but the rental is slightly higher at Rs 999 per month.

Then we have the 75 Mbps plan from ACT Fibernet which is the ACT Rapid Plus plan, and this one is available for Rs 959 per month, and it offers 350GB data per month with a 512 Kbps after-FUP speed. Whereas, the 80 Mbps by Hathway Broadband actually supersedes the ACT Rapid Plus plan as this one offers 5 Mbps more speed and a whopping unlimited data at Rs 999 per month. So even though the subscribers pay Rs 40 more on this plan, they get to enjoy marginally better speed but also unlimited data.

Hathway and ACT Fibernet Plans With More than 100 Mbps Speed

When it comes to the plans which offer speed of 100 Mbps or more, there are a couple of options for the subscribers. First is the Hathway Broadband plan with 100 Mbps speed for Rs 999 per month which offers 500GB data and 4 Mbps after-FUP speed. In select locations, the subscribers will be able to subscribe to this plan for a three-month period and they would get double data benefits, i.e. 1000GB per month and a 5 Mbps after-FUP speed. Whereas, the ACT Blaze plan with 100 Mbps speed offers 450GB monthly data and 1 Mbps after-FUP speed for Rs 1,059. But also, there is the 1500GB extra data bonus for ACT Fibernet subscribers.

Lastly, from Hathway, we have the 150 Mbps plan which is available for Rs 3,897 for three months with a monthly effective price of Rs 1,299 in which the subscribers will enjoy 1000GB data per month and 5 Mbps after FUP speed. In the 150 Mbps speed bracket, the ACT Storm Plan offers 650GB data per month for Rs 1,159. However, this plan also comes with the 1500GB data benefit.

Which One Should You Choose?

It is worth noting that because ACT Fibernet offers more data to the subscribers with its bonus data offer, therefore in the high-speed bracket of 100 Mbps or 150 Mbps, an ACT Fibernet plans would be a good choice. With the ACT Storm Entertainment plan, the subscribers would also be able to get discount on their Netflix subscription as well. But, when it comes to lower speed plans like in the 80 Mbps range, then the Hathway 80 Mbps plan could be a better option owing to the unlimited data.

Tata Sky has been making inroads into the Indian broadband segment with attractive plans and offerings. Tata Sky Broadband is already providing unlimited data plans to subscribers in various cities. And on top of that, Tata Sky Broadband users can carry forward the leftover broadband data from this month to the next month. The best part right now is Tata Sky did not mention how much data can a user carry forward to the next month. If there’s no limit on the carry forwarded data, then the broadband users of Tata Sky can rejoice, especially those on the lower-end plans. For the unaware, Tata Sky is providing broadband services in 22 cities including popular ones like Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Greater Noida and so on. Right now, the Internet Service Provider (ISP) is shipping two types of broadband plans- Unlimited and Fixed GB plans.

Tata Sky Broadband Data Rollover Feature Details

The new feature that Tata Sky has introduced to its plans is the data rollover. On the official Tata Sky broadband website, the fixed GB plans from Tata Sky broadband have now been highlighted to come with data rollover. However, the thing to note is that the website does not inform the subscribers the limit allowed on data rollover and the reason why that is is that there is no limit to data rollover on Tata Sky broadband plans. To recall, data rollover is a feature which allows the subscribers to use leftover data on subsequent billing cycles.

For example, a Tata Sky subscriber is subscribed to the Rs 999 plan which offers 200GB data with 50 Mbps speed, and in a particular month, the subscriber is only able to use 150GB data, then the leftover 50GB data will be rolled over to the next billing cycle, or the next month. This means that subscribers will be able to use 50GB extra data on their monthly limit. In this case, for the second month, the user will be able to enjoy 200GB + 50GB, a total of 250GB data in that particular month. As mentioned above, Tata Sky did not reveal any limit on the carry forwarded data. For example, You Broadband allows its users to carry forward a maximum of 500GB data in their account, but there seems to be no such limit from Tata Sky though.

Tata Sky 100 Mbps Unlimited Data Plans

It is also worth noting that currently, Tata Sky has operations in the metro cities of India, and it has expanded its reach massively to other cities like Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Bhopal and more. The service provider is also offering unlimited data plans, which could be a major attraction to interested subscribers. Some of the unlimited data plans from Tata Sky broadband also offer 100 Mbps speed. For example, in Mumbai, the Rs 1,599 per month plan ships 100 Mbps speed with unlimited data. Further on, there are also other plans with lower speeds, which include the Rs 1,249 plan shipping 50 Mbps speed and unlimited data and lastly, there is the more affordable plan of Rs 999 with 25 Mbps speed and unlimited data.

Data Carry Forward Feature is an Important One for Broadband Users

Bharti Airtel was the first broadband operator in the country to provide data carry forward functionality to its users. Later on, You Broadband and Spectra followed this move and they’re still allowing their users to carry forward current month’s data to next month. Reliance JioFiber, which is the latest entrant to the Indian broadband scene is not providing any such feature to its customers, which is underwhelming. Data Carry Forward is an important feature for broadband customers because a lot of users fail to consume their monthly allotted data and this feature transfers the left out data to the next month.