ACT Fibernet or Atria Convergence Technologies is currently allowing users to extend their FUP limit by up to 500GB through FlexyBytes+ plans. Basically, FlexyBytes+ are data top-up vouchers from ACT Fibernet which will bump up your FUP limit. ACT Fibernet is providing these FlexyBytes+ plans across all the cities where it has operations. ACT Fibernet already has some of the best broadband in cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi and so on. But in cities like Bengaluru, the broadband plans from the company aren’t that competitive and the FUP limit is on the lower side. The broadband operator recently revised its FUP limit and speeds on broadband plans in Bengaluru, but still, it’s behind the competition like Airtel Xstream, Hathway and Spectra. These FlexyBytes+ plans will be extremely useful for the customers of ACT Fibernet in cities where the FUP limits on broadband plans are very low.

ACT Fibernet FlexyBytes+ Plans Start at Just Rs 225

Aforesaid, these FlexyBytes+ plans from ACT Fibernet are just data top-up vouchers and they’re not so impressive when it comes to the data benefit. A total of five FlexyBytes+ plans are being offered to the customers right now and they start at Rs 225, going all the way up to Rs 2,500. The basic Rs 225 FlexyBytes+ plan offers just 25GB of data, followed by Rs 400 and Rs 600 plans providing 50GB and 600GB data respectively. There are two more high-end FlexyBytes+ plans of Rs 1,250 and Rs 2,500, offering 200GB and 500GB data respectively.

That said, the best part with these FlexyBytes+ plans is the validity. Each FlexyBytes+ plan offers data with three months validity, so even if you don’t consume this month, the data will not lapse. On the sad side of things, ACT Fibernet is yet to provide data carry forward functionality to the users on standard broadband plans, but the data from FlexyBytes+ plans can be carry forwarded for three months.

ACT Fibernet Concentrating on the Content Segment

After Bharti Airtel, ACT Fibernet is second on the list to provide OTT service subscriptions to the customers. Bharti Airtel broadband customers on plans above Rs 1,099 are eligible for Rs 1,500 worth Netflix subscription, Amazon Prime membership for one year, ZEE5 Premium membership every month and Airtel Xstream app subscription for 12 months.

When it comes to ACT Fibernet, it’s nowhere close to what Bharti Airtel is offering to its broadband customers. However, the Bengaluru-based ISP is at least looking to add subscribers by providing discounts to popular OTT services. ACT Fibernet launched Netflix Entertainment plans earlier this year and providing up to Rs 500 discount on Netflix subscription if a customer chooses to pay via ACT Fibernet bill. Furthermore, these Netflix Entertainment plans will also ship with up to 500GB extra data compared to the standard broadband plans. For example, the Rs 1,050 broadband plan from ACT Fibernet in Hyderabad city offers 750GB FUP limit every month, but the similar priced Netflix Entertainment plan comes with 850GB FUP limit.

ACT Fibernet broadband customers are also eligible to receive ZEE5 subscription worth Rs 99 for one month, Yupp TV subscription for six months and there are other OTT service subscriptions available at discounted rates for ACT users. ACT Fibernet even launched an Android TV-based Set-Top Box called ACT Stream TV 4K and bundling it with select broadband plans in four cities- Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru and Delhi.

ACT Fibernet has upgraded its broadband plans in Chennai city to provide at least 50 Mbps speeds to the users. ACT Fibernet has a total of seven broadband plans in Chennai and the company is even offering 1 Gbps speeds. Notably, the ACT Giga plan with 1 Gbps speeds is the cheapest plan in Chennai, compared to Bengaluru and Hyderabad where the company is charging Rs 5,999 every month. ACT Fibernet is even offering a 350 Mbps broadband plan in Chennai city after the latest revision. The broadband plans in Chennai start from Rs 799 and they go all the way up to Rs 2,999 (excluding taxes). Besides, ACT Fibernet customers choosing the same plan for a longer duration will be eligible to receive six months of free service. That said, it seems like ACT Fibernet is no longer providing extra data with six months validity to Chennai users, which is slightly disappointing.

ACT Fibernet Broadband Plans Upgraded in Chennai: Check Full Details

Atria Convergence Technologies is providing a total of seven broadband plans to the residents of Chennai. The broadband plans in question are ACT Basic priced at Rs 425, ACT Blaze that costs Rs 999, ACT Blast Promo with a monthly rental of Rs 1,049, ACT Storm which can be availed for Rs 1,099, ACT Lightning retailing for Rs 1,299, ACT Incredible which is the second most premium plan priced at Rs 1,999, and lastly, there’s the ACT Giga plan offering 1 Gbps speeds at Rs 2,999 per month.

However, only five broadband plans are part of the latest revision and they are ACT Basic, ACT Storm, ACT Lightning, ACT Thunder and ACT Incredible. As for the speeds, the ACT Basic plans ships with a promise of delivering up to 50 Mbps speeds and 200GB FUP, post which the speeds will come down to a mere 512 Kbps.

The ACT Blaze plan offers 100 Mbps speeds up to 500GB, ACT Blast Promo offers 150 Mbps speeds up to 1TB; ACT Storm comes with 200 Mbps speeds up to 1.25TB, followed by the ACT Lightning plan with 250 Mbps speeds and 2.5TB FUP limit every month. Then there are the ACT Incredible and ACT Giga broadband plans providing 350 Mbps and 1 Gbps speeds respectively.

ACT Fibernet Long-Term Recharge Offers Also Available

Almost every broadband operator in the country right now is looking to lock-in their subscribers for a longer period by providing lucrative offers. And ACT Fibernet is no different in this regard. ACT Fibernet broadband users can avail up to four months of extra service for free on choosing the same plan for 12 months, which makes it a total of 16 months subscription. In addition, customers will also get the option to select a free Wi-Fi router on a returnable basis.

For example, if a customer chooses the ACT Lightning broadband plan in Chennai priced at Rs 1,299 for one year, then the charges would be Rs 15,588 (excluding taxes). ACT Fibernet will give two offers to the customers; Under the first offer, the customer will get three months of extra service of the same plan and free Wi-Fi router and the second offer provides four months of extra service without any Wi-Fi router. If the customer opts for the second offer, then the overall subscription period would be 16 months- an additional four months of service free from the side of ACT Fibernet.

As mentioned above, ACT Fibernet is no longer providing extra broadband data with its broadband plans in Chennai.

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) today announced that its broadband and landline customers could make unlimited voice calls for a period of two days (October 27 and October 28). BSNL announced this limited period offer on the occasion of Diwali 2019. As part of this offer, eligible broadband and landline customers of BSNL can make unlimited calls to any landline and mobile number within India. That said, the offer is limited for just two days, but it’s something very crucial during the festive days. For the unaware, most of the BSNL’s broadband plans ship with voice calling support, but it’s unlimited on weekends and limited during weekdays. However, on October 27 and 27, BSNL customers can make unlimited voice calls to any numbers across India.

BSNL Announces Unlimited Calling Offer for Broadband, Landline Users

BSNL is known for introducing such festive offers and it continues for Diwali 2019 as well. “We appreciate that on the festival occasions, our customers share greetings with their friends and families and as calling experience through BSNL landline is the best, so best wishes should be done through a best possible medium,” said Shri Vivek Banzal, Director BSNL. And the offer shall be valid on two days- October 27 and October 28.

Furthermore, BSNL also said it’s going to ramp the Bharat Fibre broadband services coverage in India by expanding the reach to more towns and villages. The company also confirmed to have umbrella coverage of Bharat Fibre across the country by March 2020. BSNL already received its much-awaited revival package from the government and the company may spend some received amount in expanding the reach of Bharat Fibre services as well.

Bharat Fibre is BSNL’s high-speed broadband service available on a pan-India basis. Bharat Fibre plans for new users start at Rs 777 and they go all the way up to Rs 16,999, providing up to 170GB of daily data and other OTT service subscriptions. BSNL also introduced special Hotstar plans providing annual subscription of Hotstar worth Rs 999 and no extra cost.

BSNL also says it’s looking to establish more partnerships with content service providers to offer bundled entertainment services to the customers.

BSNL Unlimited Calling Offer for Broadband and Landline Customers Detailed

BSNL is the current market leader in the broadband segment as the company has over 10 million users right now. Thanks to the bundled landline service with some of the company’s broadband plans, BSNL is able to grab a decent amount of subscribers. While BSNL has separate landline calling plans starting at Rs 99, it’s providing bundled landline service with broadband plans as well.

The Bharat Fibre broadband plans from BSNL do come with this free voice calling service. So BSNL Bharat Fibre or users with specific broadband plans will be able to enjoy unlimited voice calls during 10:30 PM to 6 AM every day. On Sundays, unlimited voice calling is available for 24 hours without any limit. For landline users, there are several plans which provide unlimited calling even on weekdays, so it depends on the plan they choose.

In other news, BSNL recently partnered with YuppTV to provide Triple Play Plans to the customers. YuppTV allows BSNL broadband customers to watch Live TV online and the landline service allows them to make voice calls to any mobile number within India. BSNL is yet to reveal prices of the Triple Play plans on its network.

Broadband service provider, Hathway, continues to launch new offers which will allow it to increase the subscriber base. After the Lifelong Binge offer, Hathway has come up with yet another offer for the residents of Hyderabad. As part of its ‘Steal the Deal’ offer, Hathway is providing 100 Mbps broadband plan without any FUP limit at just Rs 499 per month. Furthermore, customers will also get a free installation from the company along with a router at no extra cost. Right now, we’re not sure whether the subscribers will have to choose the plan for a longer duration or not. In Hyderabad, Hathway is already providing competitive broadband plans compared to the likes of Airtel Xstream and ACT Fibernet.

Hathway 100 Mbps Plan at Rs 499 per Month: How to Avail

Hathway has now come up with a new offer called ‘Steal the Deal’ for the residents in Hyderabad. Notably, Hathway Broadband is providing services across several parts of Hyderabad, so the availability will not be an issue. But when compared to the likes of ACT Fibernet and Airtel Xstream, the company still lags when it comes to delivering services in remote locations.

In Hyderabad, almost every broadband service provider is offering the best plans, compared to what they offer in other cities. For example, Bharti Airtel has three unlimited FUP plans in Hyderabad, whereas, in other cities, it has just one unlimited data plan.

The new offer from Hathway provides 100 Mbps speeds without any FUP limit at just Rs 499 per month. For the unaware, Hathway already has a 100 Mbps broadband plan in Hyderabad, priced at Rs 599 per month. If a customer chooses the same broadband plan for 12 months, then the monthly subscription charges will come down to Rs 499 per month. But the overall amount of Rs 5,988 will have to paid by the customer at the time of choosing the service. As said, we’re not sure whether the offer provides a user 100 Mbps plan at Rs 499 per month even if the user selects the offer for one month. We have reached out to Hathway for clarification and will update this space if we receive a revert from the company.

Other Hathway Broadband Plans in Hyderabad City

ACT Fibernet and Airtel Xstream are the two Internet Service Providers in Hyderabad offering up to 1 Gbps broadband plan. Hathway’s high-speed plan in Hyderabad is the 125 Mbps plan priced at Rs 649 per month. Thankfully, all the Hathway broadband plans in the city offer unlimited data without any FUP limit every month. But sadly, there are no extra data offers provided by Hathway right now like other service providers in the city.

As for other broadband plans, Hathway has a 50 Mbps unlimited data broadband plan priced at Rs 449 per month. If a customer opts for the 50 Mbps plan for 12 months, then the monthly price will come down to Rs 349 per month. And as said, the data benefit is truly unlimited. There’s a 75 Mbps plan priced at Rs 449 per month, followed by an 80 Mbps plan that costs just Rs 499 per month. All the prices mentioned above are exclusive of taxes, so 18% GST will be added to the final subscription amount.

Government-owned Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) has finally launched 1 Gbps broadband plans in New Delhi. Similar to telecom services, MTNL is also providing broadband services in just two circles- Mumbai and New Delhi. While the company is yet to launch high-speed 1 Gbps broadband plans in Mumbai, it now has two plans in New Delhi starting at Rs 2,990. The two 1 Gbps plans from MTNL are priced at Rs 2,990 and Rs 4,990, separated by monthly FUP limit. As for the first six months, MTNL is offering a whopping 4TB and 8TB of FUP limit with both the plans, but this is available only for new customers right now. After six months, the FUP limit will be reduced to 3TB and 6TB, respectively. Furthermore, both the plans also offer unlimited voice calling to any mobile & landline number in the country.

MTNL Launches Two 1 Gbps Broadband Plans in Delhi, Beats BSNL in the Process

Similar to BSNL which is providing telecom, landline and broadband services to the customers, MTNL is also offering the same in Mumbai and New Delhi. But BSNL is yet to provide 1 Gbps broadband plans to the customers, so in this regard, MTNL has the upper hand. But we may see BSNL launching similar 1 Gbps broadband plans in the coming months.

As for the MTNL 1 Gbps broadband plans, they’re priced at Rs 2,900 and Rs 4,990. The monthly FUP limit on these broadband plans is 3TB (3000GB) and 6TB (6000GB), respectively. However, for new customers and for the first six months, MTNL will be shipping 4TB (4000GB) and 8TB (8000GB) monthly data respectively. MTNL is marketing these plans as unlimited data plans, but they do have a massive FUP limit, according to the information available.

Reliance JioFiber is also providing two 1 Gbps plans to the customers and the premium one is priced at Rs 8,499 and it offers just 5TB of FUP limit. MTNL, on the other hand, is charging half the amount at Rs 4,990 and providing nearly double the FUP limit at 8TB. Even Airtel Xstream is now providing a 1 Gbps plan priced at Rs 3,999, but again, it has a FUP limit of 3.3TB, so MTNL has a clear upper hand in Delhi right now.

Other benefits of the two 1 Gbps FTTH plans from MTNL include free voice calling meaning a customer can make unlimited voice calls to any network within India. MTNL is also allowing to choose 1 Gbps plans quarterly or for one year. For a quarterly subscription of Rs 2,990 plan, the charges would be Rs 7,970, for one-year, it would be Rs 29,990. After FUP speeds of both the plans will be 5 Mbps.

Other MTNL FTTH Broadband Plans in Delhi City

Besides the 1 Gbps broadband plans, MTNL is even offering other FTTH plans in New Delhi, providing speeds of up to 500 Mbps. MTNL, right now, is running a promotional plan priced at Rs 599 that offers 100 Mbps speeds and 200GB of FUP limit for the first six months. Next plan on the list includes the Rs 777 one, which ships with 100 Mbps speeds up to 500GB for the first six months, post which the FUP Limit will be decreased to 400GB.

There’s a Rs 1,111 FTTH plan offering 500 Mbps speeds up to 1500GB, followed by an FTTH Fire plan with the same 500 Mbps speeds and 2TB of FUP. The FTTH Fire plan is priced at Rs 2,000 per month.

All the FTTH plans from MTNL comes with a landline telephone with which a user can make voice calls to any number across the country. MTNL says ISD calls will be charged at Re 1 per minute. As for BSNL, it’s providing up to 100 Mbps speeds under its FTTH service.

Tata Sky is not only a DTH service provider as the company is providing high-speed broadband services in 22 cities across the country. Tata Sky Broadband is currently offering up to 100 Mbps speeds and the prices are on the competitive side as well. Right after the announcement of JioFiber plans, Tata Sky rolled out a new offer under which it provided up to six months of extra service on annual broadband plans. While it continues to provide the extra service offer, the company has now come up with a new offer which puts it in-line with Airtel Broadband. Tata Sky is now allowing its customers to save up to 15% on annual broadband plans, which is pretty much similar to the offer Airtel Broadband is running right now. If a customer opts for the six months plan, then the discount provided by Tata Sky Broadband would be flat 10%.

Tata Sky Annual Broadband Plans Now Available at Reduced Prices

Tata Sky Broadband is trying its best to retain the subscriber base and also to add new customers at the same time. For new broadband users, Tata Sky is continuously coming out with new offers which will attract a lot of users out there. That said, Tata Sky is not doing anything major in the segment when compared to other operators like ACT Fibernet, YOU Broadband and Airtel Broadband.

As part of its new offer, Tata Sky is allowing the users to save up to 15% on annual broadband plans. For example, in Bengaluru city, Tata Sky is providing broadband plans in four different variants- one month, three months, six months and 12 months. For the customers who opt for one month or three months, Tata Sky Broadband will not provide any special offer. However, for six months and annual broadband users, Tata Sky is providing up to 15% discount.

In Bengaluru, Tata Sky has three broadband plans on offer- 25 Mbps priced at Rs 900; 50 Mbps priced at Rs 1,000 and 100 Mbps priced at Rs 1,100. Do make a note that these prices are excluding the 18% discount which will increase the monthly charges even further. Now, if a new Tata Sky customer chooses 100 Mbps broadband plan for six months, then the overall charges would be Rs 5,940 after the 10% discount (Rs 660). If the same customer chooses 100 Mbps plan for 12 months, then the overall charges will be Rs 11,220 after the Rs 1,980 discount (15%).

Similarly, Airtel Broadband or Airtel Xstream is also running a similar offer- 10% discount on semi-annual plans and 15% discount on annual plans.

Tata Sky Also Running Extra Service Offer in Select Cities

As mentioned above, Tata Sky is also running the extra service offer, which it introduced before the discount offer. Tata Sky customers in select cities can get up to an extra six months of service for free on choosing annual broadband plans. In Hyderabad, Tata Sky is running the extra service offer. For example, customers choosing Tata Sky Broadband plan of 25 Mbps in Hyderabad for three months will have to pay Rs 2,847 (excluding 18% GST), and in return, Tata Sky will provide them four months of overall service.

Tata Sky Broadband users opting for 12 months plan in Hyderabad will be eligible to get six months extra service which makes the overall service as 18 months. On the whole, these are decent offers from Tata Sky Broadband to lock-in users for a longer period.

BSNL is not only a telecom service provider, but it’s also a broadband operator providing maximum speeds of up to 100 Mbps. BSNL does not have the firepower to take on the likes of JioFiber because of the lack of 1 Gbps high-speed plans. MTNL recently launched 1 Gbps plans in Delhi city, but there are no signs of BSNL bringing the same to its subscribers. BSNL is now offering a 600GB broadband plan priced at Rs 849 that takes on JioFiber’ Silver plan which also costs the same. While BSNL beats JioFiber in the FUP limit segment, the latter hits right back with 100 Mbps speeds as the former is offering only 50 Mbps speeds. Despite being part of BSNL’s Bharat Fibre plans, the 600GB plan does not have any daily data limit which will come as a relief. Which broadband plan has the upper hand? Let’s find out.

BSNL 600GB Broadband Plan vs JioFiber Silver Plan

The price of both the plans is similar at Rs 849, but the benefits are not the same. BSNL is offering 50 Mbps speeds with a monthly FUP limit of 600GB, post which the speeds will come down to 2 Mbps. On the other hand, JioFiber’ Silver plan offers 100 Mbps speeds up to 200GB. For the first six months, new customers will get additional 200GB data taking the overall data benefit to 400GB. JioFiber has the upper hand in the speeds department, but BSNL is providing 50% more FUP for the same monthly rental.

Besides the data benefit, both the plans ship with unlimited voice calling through fixed-line voice calling service. JioFiber has JioFixedVoice service that allows users even to make voice calls through six smartphones. BSNL users can set up BSNL Wings to make voice calls through smartphones.

As for the entertainment segment, BSNL customers choosing the 600GB broadband plan will get free Amazon Prime subscription worth Rs 999 for one year. Right now, JioFiber users are able to enjoy just JioCinema and JioSaavn apps at no extra cost. Reliance Jio also says that the JioFiber Silver broadband plan will offer three months of OTT app subscriptions, but the details are unknown at the moment.

Moving onto the installation and security deposit, JioFiber is collecting a total of Rs 2,500 from new customers (Rs 1,500 will be refunded and Rs 1,000 will be installation charges). As part of this, JioFiber will also provide a 2.4 GHz router to the customers, which will be taken back at the time of closing the account. BSNL will charge a security deposit of Rs 849 and Rs 250 will be for installation charges. BSNL is also providing a SmartHome Wi-Fi ONT device to the customers in some circles.

Lastly, we have the annual plan offers. BSNL customers choosing the 600GB plan for one year will be eligible to receive 20% cashback on the overall amount. JioFiber also has an annual offer on the Silver plan. The company will provide one year of free subscription to OTT apps (details of which are not known at the moment); Additionally, customers will get an option to choose from three more offers- Thump 2- 12W Bluetooth Speaker worth Rs 1,299 or two months of extra service or double data benefit every month for one year. Do make a note that the annual plan users of JioFiber will get to choose from any of the three offers mentioned above, so the choice is on the user. JioFiber is not running any cashback offer like BSNL, which may disappoint some users.

Which Operator Has the Best Broadband Plan at Rs 849?

Well, JioFiber wins the race in terms of speed, but BSNL is providing other benefits like free Amazon Prime subscription at no extra cost and cashback on the annual subscription. Also, the installation charges are on the lower side with BSNL, unlike the case with JioFiber. If you still want faster speeds, we would suggest you choose the JioFiber Silver plan for one year and select the double data offer which will bump the FUP limit by another 4800GB. If you’re going for a monthly plan, then get the BSNL 600GB FUP plan itself.

Bharti Airtel has upgraded its broadband plans across all the cities to take on Reliance JioFiber. Airtel now has a 100 Mbps broadband plan at just Rs 799, but the FUP limit is still on the lower side at 150GB. In some cities like Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam, the company is providing an unlimited data plan with 100 Mbps speeds at Rs 799 only. In the majority of the cities, Airtel has the FUP limit in place. In the process, the company has removed the good-old Rs 1,999 broadband plan which used to deliver unlimited data and 100 Mbps speeds. Airtel broadband plans after the revision are Airtel Basic (Rs 799), Airtel Entertainment (Rs 999), Airtel Premium (Rs 1,499) and Airtel VIP (Rs 3,999). At the same time, the company has removed the data rollover facility for broadband users as well and the customers are being informed regarding the same.

Airtel Basic Broadband Plan at Rs 799: Speeds and FUP Limit

As mentioned, the first plan in Airtel’s new broadband portfolio is the Rs 799 one that offers 100 Mbps speeds up to 150GB. After the FUP limit, speeds will be reduced to 1 Mbps and this plan does not ship with any OTT service subscriptions. Bharti Airtel users will only get access to Airtel Xstream app to watch content for free. Alongside the broadband data, Airtel will also install a landline connection at the customer’s house.

Airtel Entertainment Broadband Plan at Rs 999: Speeds and FUP Limit

Airtel’ second broadband plan is priced at Rs 999 and it offers speeds up to 200 Mbps. Yes, you heard it right. Airtel now has a 200 Mbps broadband plan under Rs 1,000 and it will attract a lot of users out there. The FUP limit on this broadband plan is 300GB and it will ship all the Airtel Platinum tier benefits like free Netflix subscription for three months, one year of Amazon Prime membership, ZEE5 Premium and Airtel Xstream app subscription worth Rs 1,200 for 12 months. Similar to the Airtel Basic plan, the Airtel Entertainment plan also comes with a free landline connection allowing users to make unlimited voice calls to any network within India.

Airtel Premium Broadband Plan at Rs 1,499: Speeds and FUP Limit

Airtel Premium broadband plan offers speeds of up to 300 Mbps and a monthly FUP limit of 500GB. Similar to Airtel Entertainment plan, Airtel is also providing benefits like Netflix, Amazon Prime and ZEE5 Premium subscriptions at no extra cost. Airtel is even offering unlimited voice calling through its landline service with the Airtel Premium plan, priced at Rs 1,499 per month.

Airtel VIP Broadband Plan at Rs 3,999: Speeds and FUP Limit

Lastly, we have the Airtel VIP broadband plan which the company introduced a few weeks ago to take on JioFiber’s 1 Gbps broadband plans. Airtel VIP plan offers speeds of up to 1 Gbps and unlimited data (3.3TB every month). Being the premium one on the list, it also comes with all the benefits of Airtel Thanks Platinum tier and a free landline telephone will also be provided to the customers.

Airtel Broadband Plans in Hyderabad City Come With Unlimited Data

That said, the above-mentioned plans are available in the majority of the cities where Airtel is operating right now. However, in Hyderabad and Vishakapatnam, the broadband plans are a bit different. Having said that, the prices and the plans are the same, but the data offered by Airtel is unlimited (3.3TB every month). So, in Hyderabad city, the same 100 Mbps Airtel Basic plan offers unlimited data every month. It’s the same case with all the other plans mentioned above.

Airtel Broadband Users Can Avail Unlimited Data Every Month at Just Rs 299 More

As you can clearly see, the new Airtel Broadband plans are separated by just speeds and FUP limit. Airtel has a new scheme where customers can get unlimited data by paying just Rs 299 more. For example, Airtel Basic users can avail unlimited data by paying Rs 299 more every month which brings the cost to Rs 799+Rs299. Also, the prices of the plans mentioned above are excluding taxes.

Netplus Broadband, the internet arm of Fastway Transmissions has brought a Next Gen IPTV service to the customers in partnership with ZTE. According to the data available, Fastway Transmissions is the 5th largest MSO in the country with its Internet arm Netplus Broadband available in 163 cities across North India. Netplus Broadband is also providing 1 Gbps plans in select cities of North India. Alongside the IPTV-enabled Set-Top Box, Netplus also launched two Triple Play plans starting at Rs 1,099. With the Triple Play plans, customers will get high-speed FTTH broadband plan, IPTV/OTT content and landline service in one package. Having said that, Netplus Broadband has its services only in North India for now, but the company says it’s continually looking to expand the reach.

Netplus Next Gen IPTV Features Detailed

While Reliance Jio was expected to be the first operator to launch IPTV service, Netplus Broadband is already offering the service to its customers in North India. Netplus’ Next Gen IPTV box comes with features like Multiple Screens, Live TV, Time Shift TV, Catch Up TV, Video-on-Demand, Radio, Apps, Home Media and a pre-installed Browser.

The IPTV service from Netplus Broadband allows users to watch their favourite TV programme in mobile, tab and PC, in addition to the Android TV-based Set-Top Box that will be provided to the customers. According to Netplus, the Android TV-based Next Gen Box offers Live TV service; Since it’s based on IPTV, users will get quick access to many channels and they can even make use of the Catch TV service. Furthermore, there’s a new feature called Time Shift TV that allows the users to watch missed programmes of the last two hours.

Netplus also says the Next Gen IPTV service has a dedicated Video-on-Demand (VoD) service with over 1000 movies available for viewing already. Being an Android TV-based Box, the Next Gen Box from Netplus Broadband will also come preinstalled with some of the popular OTT apps available in the market right now. Alongside that, users can install their apps from the in-built Google Play Store or they can sideload them.

Speaking on occasion Fastway Transmissions Group CEO Mr Prem Ojha said “this is in line to our strategy to launch converged services in India. The entire plan will consist of FTTH broadband services, IPTV, OTT & Voice Services, along with smart home solutions. All these services which Netplus will be offering to its users will be driven on FTTH Fibre.”

Netplus also says it will provide smart home solutions going forward, but the details of this service are not revealed yet.

Netplus Broadband Triple Play Plans Detailed

Netplus Broadband also announced two Triple Play plans bundling broadband, IPTV and landline services starting at Rs 1,099. The two Triple Play plans from Netplus Broadband are Premium HD Pack and Platinum HD Pack, priced at Rs 1,099 and Rs 1,199, respectively. The Premium HD Pack offers 100 Mbps speeds without any FUP limit, fully loaded IPTV with over 328 HD & SD channels and smart telephony voice service with unlimited voice calling benefit.

The Platinum HD pack also offers similar benefits, but the Live TV channel count is 354, which is the reason why Netplus is charging Rs 100 more from the customers. Netplus says the IPTV service is available across all the location where it has FTTH services.

Connect Broadband, which is one of the popular broadband service providers, in Punjab has started offering Fibre-to-the-Home packs. Across all the cities where it’s providing services, Connect Broadband now has a 50 Mbps plan. The interesting aspect of these plans is the after FUP speeds; Connect Broadband’s premium broadband plan priced at Rs 1,299 plan offers after FUP speeds of 40 Mbps. Besides the base broadband plan, all the broadband plans from the operator also ship with a free landline voice calling connection. Similar to BSNL, Connect Broadband is also delivering just landline connection to the users. For the unaware, Reliance JioFiber and Airtel Xstream Fibre also providing landline service to the users, but it comes bundled with broadband plans.

Connect Broadband FTTH Packs Start at Just Rs 599: Benefits Detailed

On the whole, Connect Broadband now has a six Fibre-to-the-Home broadband plans starting at just Rs 599. The base broadband plan from Connect Broadband comes with 50 Mbps speeds and 100GB FUP limit, post which speeds will come down to 10 Mbps. Sadly, Connect Broadband is providing speeds of up to 50 Mbps and the FUP limit is the only difference with all the broadband plans. Next plans on the list are Rs 649, Rs 699 and Rs 799, offering a FUP limit of 100GB, 200GB and 350GB, respectively. The difference between the Rs 599 and Rs 649 broadband plans from Connect Broadband is the landline connection offering as the former does not ship with the same.

The Rs 999 Connect Broadband plan comes with the same 50 Mbps speeds, but the FUP limit is better at 550GB. After FUP speeds on this plan is 30 Mbps. The premium offering from Connect Broadband is priced at Rs 1,299 and it comes with 50 Mbps speeds, 1TB of FUP limit every month and 40 Mbps after FUP speeds. Usually, broadband operators provide a mere 1 Mbps or 512 Kbps after FUP speeds, but Connect Broadband is in a different league altogether. Hopefully, other brands will also deliver the same after FUP speeds in the near future.

Connect Broadband also says the customers will get access to one free Anti Virus key which they can make use, but the details of this benefit are unknown at the moment.

BSNL 600GB Broadband Plan vs Connect Broadband FTTH Plan

Notably, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is also providing FTTH plans in various parts of Punjab. BSNL’s FTTH plans for new users start at Rs 777, and for existing customers, they start at Rs 849. The Rs 777 and Rs 849 Bharat Fibre plans from provide similar benefits, except the latter the valid for existing users for migration from another plan. BSNL’s 600GB FUP plan costs Rs 849 per month and it ships with 50 Mbps speeds.

In contrast, Connect Broadband is offering a Rs 799 broadband plan that comes with the same 50 Mbps speeds, but the FUP limit is on the lower side at 350GB. Thankfully, after FUP speeds on the Connect Broadband plan is on the decent side at 20 Mbps, so it may not be an issue for the users to stream videos even after the completion of FUP limit.

Both the broadband operators are offering free landline connection with unlimited voice calling functionality. But BSNL has a slight edge as it’s providing Amazon Prime subscription worth Rs 999 for free with the 600GB FUP plan. Connect Broadband customers will get access to free Anti Virus subscription and Gaana Plus membership for three months at no extra cost.

Excitel Broadband, which has been operating across three Indian cities, has now expanded its services to two more cities. Excitel is now providing broadband services in Lucknow and Bengaluru as well, and the company has some best plans in the portfolio. In the newly launched two cities, Excitel is providing speeds up to 300 Mbps, something which the company did not offer in the other two cities- Delhi and Hyderabad. Surprisingly, Excitel is charging just Rs 999 per month even for the 300 Mbps broadband plan which will attract a lot of users. Similar to the other broadband plans from the company, FUP limit on the 300 Mbps broadband plan is also unlimited. So users will be able to get a 300 Mbps broadband plan without any FUP limit at Rs 999 per month (excluding taxes).

Excitel Launches Up to 300 Mbps Broadband Plans Priced Under Rs 1,000

Excitel Broadband launched its services in Delhi first, followed by Hyderabad in the second half of 2017. Later on, the company expanded operations to Jaipur, and now, Excitel is offering up to 300 Mbps broadband plans in Lucknow and Bengaluru cities as well. At the same time, the company has silently launched 200 Mbps and 300 Mbps broadband plans quietly to take on the competition. Earlier, Excitel offered broadband plans with speeds up to 100 Mbps. The 300 Mbps plan from the company is now available at less than Rs 1,000 in four cities where it’s operating right now.

In Bengaluru, Excitel is currently providing three broadband plans, priced at Rs 699, Rs 849 and Rs 999, offering 100 Mbps, 200 Mbps and 300 Mbps speeds, respectively. Basically, the 100 Mbps plan from Excitel with unlimited FUP still costs Rs 699, but the prices of 200 Mbps (Rs 849) and 300 Mbps (Rs 999) are surely surprising. And yes, all the Excitel broadband plans offer unlimited data without any FUP limit.

If a customer chooses, the 300 Mbps plan for 12 months, then the monthly effective price comes down to Rs 623 only. And for the 100 Mbps plan, the monthly effective price will be Rs 436 if a customer opts for an annual plan.

Excitel also says the customers will get free Fibre router with dual-band support on a returnable basis because it’s now collecting Rs 2,000 refundable security deposit from every customer.

The plans mentioned above are currently available only in Lucknow, Bengaluru and Jaipur cities, whereas in Delhi and Hyderabad, the company is still offering speeds of up to only 100 Mbps. In Hyderabad and Delhi, Excitel has three broadband plans- 50 Mbps priced at Rs 500, 75 Mbps plan at Rs 545 and a 100 Mbps broadband plan priced at Rs 645 per month. These broadband plans also ship with unlimited data and there will be no FUP limit.

Excitel Has the Cheapest 300 Mbps Broadband Plan Right Now

Priced at Rs 999, Excitel Broadband’s 300 Mbps plan comes without any FUP limit and its the cheapest plan available right now from any Internet Service Provider (ISP). Even after adding taxes, the overall price of the plan comes to just over Rs 1,200. Right now, Airtel Xstream Fibre has a 300 Mbps broadband plan in Hyderabad without any FUP limit at Rs 1,499, whereas the company’s 200 Mbps plan costs Rs 999. While Airtel Xstream Fibre is shipping OTT service subscriptions, Excitel is not offering any such benefits to the customers. But the unlimited data benefit will be something a lot of users will like from Excitel. The ISP is yet to launch 300 Mbps plans in Hyderabad and Delhi cities.

You Broadband is providing decent broadband plans to the customers in various cities. Right now, Vodafone-owned You Broadband is operating in 22 cities including the popular ones like Hyderabad, Kakinada, Chennai and Bengaluru where the competition is increasing with every passing day. In some cities, You Broadband even has started providing landline service to take on other providers like Airtel Xstream Fibre, Reliance JioFiber and BSNL Bharat Fibre. Right now, You Broadband is offering two types of broadband plans- Dual Speed with monthly FUP limit and Unlimited Plans without any FUP limit. In the cities where You Broadband has landline service, customers can choose from the Dual Speed+Landline plans. In Hyderabad city, You Broadband is providing an unlimited 75 Mbps broadband plan at just Rs 797 monthly charges including taxes.

You Broadband Has Unlimited Data Plans With Speeds Up to 75 Mbps

As noted, You Broadband is currently offering two types of broadband plans to the customers- Dual Speed (FUP) and Unlimited Data plans. In Hyderabad city, You Broadband has four unlimited data plans starting at just Rs 738 monthly charges (including taxes). The four Unlimited Data plans from You Broadband offers speeds of 15 Mbps, 30 Mbps, 50 Mbps and 75 Mbps. The premium 75 Mbps unlimited data plan from the ISP costs Rs 797 per month and it ships without any FUP limit on a monthly basis. The prices mentioned in this article are including taxes. So under Rs 800, You Broadband customers in Hyderabad can get a 75 Mbps unlimited data plan.

As for the 50 Mbps plan, it costs Rs 738 (including taxes) every month and again there’s no FUP limit. You Broadband is also offering these two plans as long-term recharges as well. For example, the 75 Mbps plan from You Broadband for 90 days costs Rs 2,301; for 180 days, the price is Rs 4,248, and for 360 days, the charges will be Rs 7,788. Again, these prices are including taxes.

You Broadband is not providing the 15 Mbps and 30 Mbps broadband plans in monthly option, so customers will have to choose the plans for at least 90 days. The 30 Mbps broadband plan from the company for 90 days costs Rs 1,797 (including taxes) and the 15 Mbps plans charges for the same period will be Rs 1,469.

The Unlimited Data plans from You Broadband is available across all the 22 cities where the company is operating right now. However, the plans differ in each city. For example, in Bengaluru, the company’s 60 Mbps unlimited data plan costs Rs 1,999 and it’s surely on the higher side, compared to what it’s charging in Hyderabad.

You Broadband is Operating in 22 Cities Right Now

For the unaware, You Broadband was acquired by UK-based Vodafone before its telecom business merger with Idea Cellular. Vodafone-owned You Broadband is slowly expanding operations to major cities across the country. Right now, it’s operating in 22 cities – Ahmedabad, Aurangabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Kakinada, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nashik, Navi Mumbai, Navsari, Powai, Pune, Rajkot, Surat, Thane, Vadodara, Valsad, Vapi, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam.

The maximum speeds offered by You Broadband is 250 Mbps right now. You Broadband also has some aggressive broadband plans under its belt taking on the likes of ACT Fibernet, Airtel Xstream Fibre who are the leaders in cities like Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and so on.

With all the new broadband players reigning in the market right now, the fact cannot be ignored that Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) remains the largest broadband service provider in the country. The telecom operator boasts of having the most massive network across the country, and it uses it to service its broadband subscribers around the country. However, there is one thing that sets apart BSNL from all the other broadband service providers in the market, and that is the presence of plans which come with a daily data limit. While other companies offer monthly data FUP or no FUP at all, BSNL’s unique broadband plans come with a daily data FUP limit similar to prepaid plans. Some subscribers do not like the daily data limit on their BSNL broadband plans, and if that is the case, we would like to tell them to stop worrying since BSNL also has some plans which come with a monthly FUP instead of a daily FUP limit.

BSNL Budget Broadband Plans With No Daily Data Cap

It is worth noting that the cheapest plan in the BSNL broadband portfolio is also a plan which comes with no daily data cap and it the Rs 555 broadband plan which is called the Fibro 100GB or the Month CS106. This broadband plan by the state-led telecom operator offers up to 20 Mbps speed with 100GB data in a month. After 100GB data, the speed gets throttled down to 1 Mbps for the subscribers. With this, the subscribers get free unlimited calling to BSNL network and night free calling to other networks from 10:30 PM to 6:00 AM and unlimited calling on Sundays.

Next up, we have the Rs 749 broadband plan from BSNL, which is called the Superstar 300GB plan. This plan, as the name denotes, comes with 300GB of data in the entire month and it offers up to 50 Mbps speed. After the exhaustion of this FUP data, the subscribers will experience a speed of 2 Mbps. This plan also comes with unlimited free calling to any network. Also, since BSNL offers Amazon Prime membership to its customers for a year on all plans worth Rs 745 and above, the subscribers of this plan get the benefit of this.

BSNL Broadband Plans With Amazon Prime Membership Benefit

Another plan in this list is the Rs 777, Fibro 500GB plan which is available for subscription till December 26, and it offers 50 Mbps speed and 500GB data in the entire month with an after-FUP speed of 2 Mbps and unlimited calling to all networks. This plan also comes with the Amazon Prime membership for a year.

BSNL also offers the Rs 849 broadband plan in its portfolio which includes 600GB data in the entire month without any daily FUP limit, and this one comes with 50 Mbps speed, free unlimited calling to all networks and the Amazon Prime benefit. There is also the Rs 1,277 broadband plan which offers 750GB data per month to the subscribers with 100 Mbps speed, and all the other benefits of the previous plan.

Further up the ladder, the high range broadband plans by BSNL also come with a monthly FUP which include the Rs 2,999 plan with 100 Mbps speed and 2000GB data per month, Rs 4,999 broadband plan with 100 Mbps speed and 2000GB data. Then, there is also the Rs 9,999 per month broadband plan by BSNL which comes with 100 Mbps speed and 2250GB data per month, but it also offers an after-FUP speed of 8 Mbps along with the other benefits like unlimited calling and Amazon Prime membership.

Netplus Broadband recently announced Triple Play plans along with bundled IPTV service. The Internet Service Provider (ISP) is currently operating in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu. In Punjab, Netplus is providing broadband plans with speeds up to 1 Gbps and the Fibre-to-the-Home plans from the company are similarly priced to the plans of JioFiber. However, there are two major differences between the FTTH plans from Netplus and JioFiber- after FUP speeds and the overall monthly FUP limit. Netplus Broadband plans also start at Rs 699 and they go all the way up to Rs 8,499, providing high-speed 1 Gbps plan with a whopping 10TB of FUP limit. Read on to know more about Netplus Broadband plans.

Netplus Broadband Plans Start at Rs 699: Benefits Detailed

Netplus Broadband is currently offering Double Data plans to the customers starting at Rs 699. The company right now has six broadband plans- Rs 699, Rs 849, Rs 1,299, Rs 2,499, Rs 3,999 and Rs 8,499, with base speeds of 100 Mbps and max speeds of 1 Gbps. The base Rs 699 Netplus Broadband plan offers 100 Mbps speeds and 300GB of FUP limit every month. Next up, we have the Rs 849 broadband plan which also offers 100 Mbps speeds, but the FUP limit is 800GB. Both the Rs 699 and Rs 849 broadband plans ship with after FUP speeds of 10 Mbps.

Between Rs 1,000 and Rs 3,000, Netplus has two broadband plans priced at Rs 1,299 and Rs 2,499, offering speeds of 250 Mbps and 500 Mbps, respectively. The FUP limit on these plans is 1500GB and 3000GB respectively. As for the after FUP speeds, the Rs 1,299 broadband plan offers 25 Mbps speeds and the Rs 2,499 plan allows users to browse the web at 50 Mbps even after the completion of monthly FUP limit.

Then we have the 1 Gbps broadband plans from Netplus which are priced at Rs 3,999 and Rs 8,499. The FUP limit on these plans is 5TB and 10TB, respectively, and the after FUP speeds are 100 Mbps. Notably, Netplus Broadband is offering these broadband plans in Punjab right now.

As you can see, the prices of these Netplus Broadband plans are exactly similar to the JioFiber plans. But Netplus’ broadband plans are way better when it comes to after FUP speeds and monthly FUP limit. The Rs 8,499 broadband plan from JioFiber comes with 1 Gbps speeds and 5TB of FUP limit, whereas Netplus is providing 10TB of FUP every month at the same price.

Netplus Broadband Also Has Truly Unlimited Data Plans

In addition to the Double Data plans mentioned above, Netplus Broadband is also providing unlimited data plans to the customers. The Truly Unlimited Data plans from Netplus start at Rs 599 and they go all the way up to Rs 1,500. The base Rs 599 broadband plan offers 50 Mbps speeds without any FUP limit, followed by the Rs 799 plan with 75 Mbps speeds.

The Rs 999 and Rs 1,299 broadband plans come with 100 Mbps and 150 Mbps speeds and there’s no monthly FUP limit. Lastly, we have the premium Rs 1,599 broadband plan which allows users to browse at 200 Mbps speeds without any data limit. All the prices mentioned above are exclusive of taxes, so an additional 18% GST will be added to the overall price mentioned above.

Netplus Truly Unlimited Broadband plans seem like a better option to the customers right now compared to the Double Data plans which are launched to take on the JioFiber broadband plans.

The state of Kerala has popularly declared internet as a basic right for the citizens. However, to follow up to this declaration, Kerala state will now work to provide high-speed internet to the residents of the state. On Wednesday, the cabinet has decided to draw an administrative sanction on the Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON). The new sanction pegs the project at Rs 1,548-crore and this massive undertaking by the government will be aimed at providing high-speed internet at a subsidised rate to the 20 lakh citizens. It is worth noting that the new project is going to be a joint venture between KSEB and Kerala State IT Infrastructure Ltd, KFON and it is estimated to be completed by December 2020. As for the tender of the project, it has been awarded to Central PSU Bharat Electronics Ltd. The KFON project will also help the ISPs in the area and the cable TV operators to provide better service with the help of a wider cable network. Under KFON, 30,000 government institutions and educational institutions will also be connected.

KFON To Empower Educational Institutes, Airports and Other Public Places

As per the official statement of the authorities involved, the KFON project will provide enhanced connectivity in the educational sector. Not only this, but the project would also give a push in the IT sector. Other sectors in IT, including machine learning, artificial intelligence, blockchain and IoT startups, are going to be helped with the implementation of the KFON project. The digitisation of government services would also happen with the implementation of the new KFON project. The airports and coastal ports would also be connected via fibre under KFON. The interesting thing to note is that with the expansion of fibre connectivity across India and private and state-led PSUs deploying massive connectivity, the governments are also crowding to deploy fibre in their states. Out of all the states, Kerala seems to be a step ahead owing to its positive steps in this direction.

Internet Declared Basic Right in Kerala

To recall, Kerala has already declared that internet, being a basic necessity should be accessible by all. However, the poor sections of the society do not have a way to access internet services given their situation with the affordability of such services. At the same time, the United Nations (UN) had remarked that everyone should have access to internet so that they have freedom of expression and opinion. It was back in 2017 when the talks for KFON began in the Kerala parliament. It is also worth noting that Kerala has the highest literacy rate of all Indian states.

On these lines, Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac remarked “Internet connection made a basic citizen right. Kerala cabinet gives a final nod for ?1548 crores Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON)Project to provide the internet to every household in the state. For 20 lakh BPL households it will be free. The project to be completed by Dec 2020.” Another interesting thing KFON is that the government does not only plan to provide fibre connectivity throughout the state, but it also wants to install Wi-Fi hotspots across the state as well. Another significant aspect on this front is BharatNet project by BSNL which is a prime driver of the Modi-led government’s Digital India programme. The BharatNet programme also seeks to connect the rural area with high-speed data services.

It seems like Reliance Jio has finally started providing its 4K Set-Top Box to the paid JioFiber users. Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Jio announced Triple Play broadband plans in September this year and also said the trial run of JioFiber has ended. All the existing JioFiber Preview customers will be migrated to paid plans which start at Rs 699. While the company announced JioFiber plans, there was a lot of confusion over the entire internet on how the company will provide Set-Top Box and Cable TV service. As we have reported earlier, JioFiber customers will get a free Set-Top Box with every broadband plan, but to watch Live TV, they will have to get a separate Cable TV connection from the LCO. This news sparked a lot of confusion as Jio was initially said to provide IPTV service. JioFiber customers who received the all-new Set-Top Box now state that there’s indeed IPTV service offered by the company, but the channel count is pretty much limited to just over 150.

JioFiber Set-Top Box Said to Be Offering IPTV Service

JioFiber customers who migrated to paid plans are now receiving Set-Top Box from the company. According to a JioFiber user Arpit Agarwal, the company is providing more than 150 Live TV channels via IPTV. Additionally, we managed to grab some interface screenshots from one of our reader Syed Sadid Ali of the JioFiber Set-Top Box, which clearly shows the absence of JioTV app. Earlier, it was expected that the STB from JioFiber would come preinstalled with JioTV app and gives access to over 650 Live TV channels. But that isn’t the case now.

The JioFiber Set-Top Box has an app called ‘JioTV+‘ which is a platform that combines all the content from OTT apps. Right now, it’s said that the Live TV section will also be present inside the JioTV+ app itself. It seems like Reliance Jio will provide access to Live TV channels through the OTT services. For example, if the company partners with Hotstar, then all the Live TV channels from Star India will be present inside the JioTV+ app. As you can clearly see in the image, Star India channels like Star Maa TV, Star Maa Movies, Star Maa Gold, Star Sports and so on are being provided by JioFiber already.

According to our sources, the JioTV+ will only offer Live TV channels from the OTT services which are allowing users to watch Live TV on their respective app or website. Initially, it looks like we will get to see popular Sony, Free-to-Air and Star India channels on JioTV+ app. Right now, JioFiber STB does not offer any ZEE Entertainment Limited channels. Maybe the company is still in the process of establishing partnerships with OTT service providers.

Basically, JioTV+ will be a content aggregator service similar to PatchWall UI (exclusive to Xiaomi Smart TVs in India) and Oxygen Play (content aggregator in OnePlus TV) which bring content services together. While PatchWall and Oxygen Play does not offer Live TV content yet, JioFiber will allow users to watch their favourite channels through the internet.

Furthermore, these are the OTT app subscriptions which Mukesh Ambani spoke about at the commercial launch of JioFiber on September 5. For the unaware, JioFiber broadband plans above Rs 849 come with at least three months of OTT apps subscription and the complete details will be out very soon. However, with Jio now shipping STB to the customers, we can get a general understanding of how the OTT apps subscription will work.

Separate Cable TV Subscription Still Required to Watch Full-Fledged TV Channels

If you’re among the users who barely watch Live TV channels, then the JioFiber’s IPTV service with a limited number of channels will be enough. The final channel list is yet to come out as Jio is still in the process of finalising partnerships with OTT content providers. But if you’re someone who watches a lot of TV channels, then you should definitely get a separate Cable TV subscription. Hathway, Den Networks are other Cable TV operators are ready to provide Cable TV service via Jio 4K Set-Top Box.

Also, JioFiber’s FUP limit on broadband plans means you’ll end up getting a separate Cable TV connection as the IPTV channels will be streamed via the broadband connection only.

Long gone are the days when subscribers used to be content with speeds of 2 Mbps or even 10 Mbps. With gigabit connections making their way into the broadband industry, the subscribers are now striving to get plans with maximum speed, maximum data and of course at minimum pricing. This is what has become the new competing ground for the broadband service providers and not only telecom operators but also the other Internet Service Providers (ISPs) as well. Lastly, the cable TV operators and DTH operators owing to their extensive last-mile connectivity, now also provide broadband services and the top name in this list is of Tata Sky broadband which has expanded in many cities in very less time and continues to offer some of the attractive plans to its subscribers. Now, the Tata Sky broadband portfolio comes with new revised plans which offer both unlimited and fixed GB data to the customers. Here are the plans by Tata Sky Broadband that must look out for.

Tata Sky Unlimited Broadband Plans: Details

The first plan under the Tata Sky Broadband portfolio is the Rs 900 plan which offers 25 Mbps speed to the customers with unlimited data. As for the benefit, the customers get the safe custody benefit under this plan. Similarly, Tata Sky has other plans in this portfolio which come with 50 Mbps and 100 Mbps speed, and they come with Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,100 monthly rental. Now the thing to note with these Tata Sky broadband plans is that the subscribers will be able to enjoy some more benefits in case they opt for a longer-term of subscription. For example, instead of getting a monthly subscription of these plans from Tata Sky broadband, if the subscribers get a three-month subscription, they would get the added benefit of a free router and free installation.

Tata Sky Unlimited Broadband Plans: Long Term Benefits

For subscribers looking for some kind of discount on these plans, we would suggest going for the 6 months subscription of these same unlimited data plans as it would not only get you the free router and the free installation benefit but would also avail you a 10% discount on the rental. So, while the 100 Mbps cost paid over six instalments would have cost you Rs 6,600 it would only cost you Rs 5,940 if you opt for the six-month subscription in addition to the free router, free installation benefit. In case of an annual subscription of the unlimited data plans, the subscribers get a 15% discount instead of 10%.

How Do the Tata Sky Broadband Plans Fare in Front of Competition?

Currently, the consumers have been divided over choices of broadband plans, especially after the launch of Reliance JioFiber. While the Reliance JioFiber plans offer high speed, they do not actually ship more data. But, the subscribers right now want to stream content over video which is easily done over a 100 Mbps connection, and as such, a 1 Gbps connection feels like an unnecessary expense for a common person. In such a scenario, plans like that by Tata Sky broadband with unlimited data and the right speeds seem like a good choice. With this being said, although Tata Sky Broadband ships some attractive plans and there are benefits on long term subscription, there are broadband service providers with competing plans which you might consider. For example, there is also Hathway Broadband which offers 100 Mbps plan unlimited plan which is available for Rs 499 per month under Steal the Deal offer, which is almost half of the Tata Sky broadband plan.

In the run-up the launch of the Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) service by Reliance Jio, which is called the JioFiber now, the broadband industry went through many changes to prepare itself for the launch of the competitively priced FTTH service. However, the Reliance JioFiber plans did not impress the consumers as they were expected to do, and instead, there were some other offerings in the market which caught the attention of the customers. Instead of going for extremely high speeds with less data, the consumers wanted more data but with enough speed to allow them to do tasks like streaming and browsing. In this category, many players started introducing broadband plans with various offers. One of the major names in this list remains that of Airtel Xstream Fiber, which is simply the new name for Airtel’s fibre-based broadband service. The broadband plans being provided by Bharti Airtel are some of the most talked-about plans and rightly so because these plans come with some unique benefits which the other plans miss out on. Here are the unique benefits which Bharti Airtel broadband customers will enjoy with their plans.

Unlimited FUP On Extra Amount

Firstly, we are getting to actually the most unique feature which Airtel broadband plans come with. Usually, while the subscribers select a particular broadband plan, especially if its a fixed FUP one, and in between they want to access unlimited data, the only option is to change the plan and go through a hassle filled process. But, Airtel Xstream Fiber will be easily able to switch from fixed GB plans to unlimited data plans by paying a mere Rs 299 charge. So for example, if you are using a fixed GB plan and in one of the months you need to use more data, you can pay up Rs 299 and access unlimited data on that particular plan for the rest of the month.

Benefits On the Entertainment Front

When it comes to bundling entertainment benefits, the favourite freebie to bundle for the telecom operators these days is the subscription to OTT platforms, and Bharti Airtel is no exception to this rule. However, while Airtel is like others in this regard, the platform to which it offers access is the main attraction. With its plans, Airtel Xstream Fiber customers enjoy Netflix, and Amazon Prime membership. Above Rs 999 and above plans, Bharti Airtel extends three months of Netflix subscription to the broadband customers and a year worth of Amazon Prime membership as well. While other broadband plans do offer similar benefits, but a bundled Netflix subscription is something that no other telecom operator offers with its broadband plans right now. Thrown in, with this mix, is also a ZEE5 subscription for the broadband customers of Airtel. All of this is in addition to the unlimited calling benefit which the Airtel broadband subscribers enjoy.

More Additional Benefits

Now it is worth noting that Bharti Airtel is not only a broadband service providers like some of its other competitors, but it also offers mobile network and DTH services as well. Hence, the subscribers of Bharti Airtel postpaid and Airtel Digital TV get a broadband connection, they would be able to get a 10% discount under Airtel Home. This is something that the other ISPs and FTTH providers are not giving. So, the Airtel broadband plans become even more attractive for Airtel subscribers.

Out of all the broadband service providers out there, the cable TV companies enjoy a special benefit over the other telecom operators and that is of last mile connectivity and a massive network of already existing cable reaching out to the customers’ homes. This has helped the cable TV companies in deploying fibre networks to provide high speed broadband services to the customers at a very cheap rate. One of the most popular companies of this kind in the broadband space is Hathway broadband. There was a time a few months back, when Hathway Broadband plans were not considered that attractive and they were feeble in front of the competition. However, over time, Hathway has increased the attractiveness of its broadband plans and now ships them with attractive offers, making them a steal deal for the customers. These plans a are especially suited to subscribers who are not looking for ultra high speeds but instead something better suited for streaming. If that defines your broadband needs, then keep reading to find out about the Hathway fibre broadband plans.

Hathway Fibre Broadband Plans FUP and Other Details

The first plan in the Hathway Fibre Broadband portfolio is the HD Elite plan and it offers 50 Mbps speed like the other plans in this pool. The monthly FUP in this plan is 50GB and the post FUP speed for the subscribers is going to be 2 Mbps. It is also worth noting that the subscribers will not be able to get this plan on a monthly basis and the minimum commitment would be for three months, which would set them back by Rs 2,549. Similarly, six months and twelve months subscription charges would be Rs 4,949 and Rs 9,349 respectively.

Moving up the ladder, we have the HD3 Stream plan by Hathway Broadband which also offers 50 Mbps speed, but the data offering is doubled at 100GB. The post FUP speed remains 2 Mbps only. As for the subscription charges, the subscribers will have to pay Rs 2,999 for three months of subscription, Rs 5,699 for six months and Rs 10,999 for twelve months of subscription.

The HD Bliss broadband plan by Hathway packages 50 Mbps speed and 150GB data with a 3 Mbps after FUP speed. The rental of this plan is Rs 3,899 for three months, Rs 7,599 for six months and Rs 14,299 for twelve months. The HD4 Stream plan by Hathway Broadband is also similar in this regard as it offers 200GB data with the same 50 Mbps speed and an after-FUP speed of 3 Mbps. The rental for this plan has been listed as Rs 4,499 for three months, Rs 8,599 for six months and Rs 16,499 for twelve months.

There is also an unlimited fibre broadband plan by Hathway which offers 2 Mbps speed throughout the entire month. The rental of this plan is Rs 2,399 for three months, Rs 4,699 for six months and Rs 8,799 for twelve months.

Hathway Fibre Broadband Plan Competition

While Hathway is offering some attractive Fibre plans to its customers, there is also no lack of competition in the market especially in the fibre broadband department. The biggest competitor for Hathway right now is Airtel Xstream Fibre which offers up to 1 Gbps to the customers. Not only this, but the subscribers also have the option of making their plan into an unlimited data offering by paying Rs 299 extra. The subscribers also enjoy many unique additional benefits which are not present on Hathway Fibre broadband plans.

Airtel Xstream Fibre is the new broadband brand identity for Bharti Airtel and the ISP even revised its plan a few weeks ago. Airtel Xstream Fibre plans start at Rs 799, according to their website. However, the company is still offering the base 40 Mbps broadband plan priced at Rs 699 in various cities right now. But there’s a catch. The Rs 699 or the 40 Mbps Airtel Xstream Fibre plan is available for subscription only for three months or more. But on the brighter side, the company is offering unlimited data (3.3TB) every month. If a customer chooses the 40 Mbps broadband plan for three months, then the charges would be Rs 2,097 (excluding 18% GST). Airtel is also providing a 10% and 15% discount for customers choosing the same plan for six or 12 months respectively.

Airtel Xstream Fibre 40 Mbps Broadband Plan: Details and Benefits

A couple of weeks ago, Airtel Xstream Fibre revised broadband plans were announced by the company and they start at Rs 799 per month. The Airtel Basic plan is priced at Rs 799 and it offers speeds of up to 100 Mbps. However, Airtel Xstream Fibre still has a base broadband plan of Rs 699 that comes with 40 Mbps speeds. To recall, Airtel used to provide this plan even before the latest revision. But after the revision, the company is providing the broadband plan in three or six or 12 months subscription period only.

For instance, a customer can choose the Rs 699 broadband plan for three months by paying Rs 2,097 (excluding taxes). The same 40 Mbps plan is also available in six months and 12 months subscription model and there will be some discount being offered by the company too.

In our case in Hyderabad, the Airtel Xstream Fibre broadband plan of Rs 699 is offering speeds of up to 40 Mbps and the data offered by the company is 9999GB (9.9TB) which turns into 3.3TB every month. Additionally, this plan ships with free landline connection and free dual-band Wi-Fi router which is capable of delivering full speeds of 40 Mbps. As for Airtel Thanks benefits, users will get a free subscription to Shaw Academy courses, free Wynk Music and Airtel Xstream subscriptions.

Airtel Even Has a 16 Mbps Broadband Plan With 75GB FUP Limit

Besides the Rs 699 or 40 Mbps broadband plan, Airtel Xstream Fibre even has 16 Mbps FUP broadband plan on offer in select cities. While the Rs 699 broadband plan is available across the majority of the cities where the company is providing services, the 16 Mbps plan is currently available only in the cities where Airtel is not able to deliver faster speeds.

The 16 Mbps plan from Airtel Xstream Fibre is also available for subscription for at least three months. For three months, the plan costs Rs 1,749 and it ships with 75GB data every month. As mentioned above, the 16 Mbps plan is currently available in cities where Airtel is not able to deliver faster speeds which is the reason why the FUP limit is on the lower side. We’re not sure whether the unlimited data add-on of Rs 299 will be applicable on this plan or not.

For the unaware, Airtel Xstream Fibre plans now start at Rs 799 and they go all the way up to Rs 3,999, providing speeds of up to 1 Gbps. The 1 Gbps unlimited data plan from Airtel is probably the best one right now with a decent amount of FUP limit and variety of OTT service subscriptions packed.