Airtel postpaid, broadband users can now get free 3-month Netflix access

Airtel and Netflix have announced an expansion of their partnership in India through which subscribers of select Airtel Postpaid and V-Fiber home broadband plans will receive a three-month free Netflix subscription. After this, these subscribers will be able to pay for Netflix subscription using their Airtel postpaid or home broadband bill. Existing Netflix subscribers will also be eligible for this gift. Subscribers not eligible for the gift will be able to sign up to Netflix through Airtel’s applications and pay for their subscription using their Airtel bill.

The telecom operator will announce details of eligible postpaid mobile and home broadband plans over the coming weeks. Netflix and Airtel have also partnered to promote Netflix content through a dedicated row on the Airtel TV app.

Last week, the telecom major announced a content and distribution deal with Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL). Through this deal, Zee will help Airtel curate content for its over-the-top (OTT) platform and provide content from Zee5. Zee will also create some content exclusively for Airtel.

Airtel joins hands with itel to launch budget-friendly 4G smartphones

Bharti Airtel and device manufacturer itel on Friday announced their partnership to launch budget friendly 4G smartphones.

The partnership, which is a part of Airtel's 'Mera Pehla Smartphone' initiative, will build an ecosystem of partners to make 4G smartphones within the reach of everyone.

Customers will get an attractive cash-back benefit of Rs. 1500 on itel A40 4G and itel A41 smartphones, thereby, significantly reducing the effective cost of device ownership.

Both smartphones will come bundled with a monthly recharge pack of Rs. 169 from Airtel, offering generous data and calling benefits.

Customers need to make a down payment of Rs 4599 for the itel A40 and Rs. 4699 for the itel A41. The cash-back benefit of Rs. 1500 will be given to customers over a period of 36 months. At the end of 18 months, customers who have done recharges (in any denomination of their choice) worth Rs 3000 will be eligible for the first cash-back installment of Rs. 500. They will be eligible for the second installment of Rs 1000 provided they complete another set of recharges worth Rs 3000 over the next 18 months.

"We are delighted to partner itel as we expand our range of affordable 4G smartphones with an aim to enable every Indian to own a 4G smartphone and be a part of the digital revolution. Airtel now has the largest partner ecosystem of device manufacturers and we thank our partners for sharing our vision of smartphone for every Indian," said COO Bharti Airtel, Ajai Puri.
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News digest: GST e-way Bill, Rahul Gandhi's elevation, and more

GST Council firm on e-way Bill despite traders' concern

An electronic system to track movement of products under the goods and services tax (GST) system will be put in place across the country (inter-city as well as intra-city) by June 1, 2018. Read More...

More traders paying taxes on GSTN: Sushil Kumar Modi

The proportion of tax-paying traders has increased to 70 per cent of those registered on the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) as the technology backbone built by Infosys has begun to stabilise and make it easier for them to file returns, said Bihar Finance Minister Sushil Kumar Modi on Saturday. Read More...

Rahul Gandhi takes charge of the grand old party

Rahul Gandhi on Saturday took charge as president of the Congress in the presence of the 132-year-old party’s brass and his family members. Read More...

UIDAI suspends Airtel, Airtel Payments Bank's e-KYC licence

In its strongest action yet, the UIDAI has temporarily barred Bharti Airtel and Airtel Payments Bank from conducting Aadhaar-based SIM verification of mobile customers using the eKYC process as well as e-KYC of payments bank clients. Read More...

US may stop spouses of H1B visa holders from working

The Trump administration is considering revoking an Obama-era rule that extends work authorisation to the spouses of H1B visa holders, a move that could affect thousands of Indian workers and their families. Read More...
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Jio effect: Govt panel to give views on telcos' financial woes in 3 months

An inter-ministerial panel being constituted to suggest a policy prescription for the failing financial health of the telecom sector will consult banks and operators before finalising its views in three months.

The committee is expected to have representation from the Departments of Economic Affairs, Revenue and Financial Services, besides the Telecom Department, an official familiar with the matter told PTI.

The panel is expected to finalise its recommendations in the next three months.

Some of the recommendations could be placed before the Telecom Commission — the highest policy-making body in the Telecom Department — for an approval. For the other proposals mooted by the panel, a Cabinet go-ahead may be necessary.

"The internal plan is that the views of banks, telecom operators and also the large investors in the sector will be sought," the official said.

The Department of Telecom is attaching top priority to the issue, the official said adding that the first meeting of the panel members is likely to be held this month itself.

The extent of financial stress in the telecom sector can well be gauged from the fact that the industry has a debt of Rs 4.6 lakh crore.

The sector has been under severe pressure since the entry of newcomer Reliance Jio, last year.

In September 2016, billionaire Mukesh Ambani's venture Jio stormed into the Indian telecom market (incidentally, the second largest market globally with 1.2 billion subscribers) with free voice and data services, forcing established operators to slash rates to protect their turf.

This put revenue and profitability of all telcos under severe pressure, although subscribers benefited from attractive data and voice packs.

Even after launching its paid services post-March 2017, Jio continues to be aggressive, offering data at rock-bottom prices while voice calls are free.
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Airtel offers unlimited broadband data for bundling postpaid, DTH services

Telecom giant Bharti Airtel, which had earlier announced 5 GB of free data for bundling each postpaid or DTH service with its brodband internet connection, has now made the offer even more exciting for users. Under its myHOME promotional offer, the company is now offering 10 GB of additional data a month, twice as much as earlier, for each postpaid connection and digital TV service that you link to your Airtel broadband connection.

The Airtel myHOME offer is currently active on My Airtel app and can be availed of by users who have Airtel broadband or Airtel postpaid connection, or Airtel digital TV service.

Earlier, the Airtel myHOME offer was valid for users who started availing of Airtel broadband services before July 1, 2016. Also, there was a limit of 25 postpaid connections and 25 DTH connections that could be bundled. This translated into a limit of 250GB (5GB x 50 postpaid or DTH) extra data per month.

ALSO READ: Airtel offers 250 GB free broadband data to counter JioFibre's freebies

Now, under the tweaked terms and conditions of the offer, Bharti Airtel has not only doubled the dole of free data but also removed the cap on the number of postpaid or DTH service that could be bundled with a broadband connection.

The latest Airtel broadband offer comes within days of rival Reliance Jio saying that it is testing its Fibrenet broadband service, JioFibre, in 5 major cities -- Delhi, Mumbai, Jamnagar, Pune and Chennai. Though there is no defined timeline yet for the official launch of the JioFibre broadband service, some details of the offers that the company might give at launch were leaked online a few days ago.
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Price war: Vodafone packs up to four times more data for 4G users

Latest News -The data tariff war shows no signs of let up, with telecom service provider Vodafone on Tuesday announcing up to four times more data for 4G customers buying 1 GB and 10 GB packs.

Customers buying a 1 GB and 10 GB 4G data packs can now enjoy 4 GB and 22 GB data, for Rs 250 and Rs 999, respectively, Vodafone said in a statement.

These packs are available across all circles in which Vodafone offers 4G services, it added.

"Our customers are consuming more of content and video online. It will also encourage first time and limited users of mobile internet to explore more by providing greater value. They can access four times more of their favourite content online for the(Read More)

Digital war: Airtel, Voda, Idea woo merchants to use payments apps

Latest News:Amid revenue losses on account of the government's demonetisation move, and competitive pressures intensified by extension of free services by Reliance Jio, older telecocompanies seem to have been forced to provide incentives to get merchants to opt for digital payment applications.

According to sectoral data, around 12 million more Indians have started using digital wallets. The reach of mobile payments rose six per cent in the week following the demonetisation announcement, while usage frequency surged 15 per cent, says Rajan Mathews, director-general at the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI).

Here’s what is in store:

1. Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Idea Cellular, and the new entrant into the space, Reliance Jio, are offering(Read More)