iWorld
BSNL launches FMT & Ditto TV; 4G planned this year
MUMBAI: State-run BSNL is now making diligent changes to their services. The service provider has gone beyond its limits and adapting to the dynamic changes in the Indian telecom scene.
BSNL also announced mobile TV service ‘Ditto TV’ and limited fixed mobile telephony, an app that virtually turns mobiles into cordless phone working in sync with landlines within home. Ditto TV is a mobile TV service wherein subscribers can view live TV for over 80 channels.
The reports of cheaper plans came in after BSNL CMD Anupam Shrivastava hinted the same in a tweet. He also revealed that BSNL plans to launch their 4G services, most likely this year.
BSNL is prepared to re-introduce a ‘truly unlimited’ 3G data plan priced at Rs 498, along with many other new plans. These cheaper plans may be launched on 26 January — the Republic Day. The earlier plan offered users unlimited 3G data for 14 days. However, the plan was discontinued as BSNL noticed users violating the free data usage policy.
Besides, BSNL still offers a plan offering unlimited data and free BSNL to BSNL calls at Rs 1099 per month. The BSNL announcement comes soon after Jio offered ‘Happy New Year Offer‘.
A BSNL statement said that the “smartphone needs to download the app and with connectivity with BSNL broadband modem (say on Wi-Fi), customer can receive and also be able to make outgoing calls…on smartphone handsets. This service is in no way linked with mobile operator service or customer SIM in mobile handset,” the statement clarified.
On the mobile TV offering, BSNL mobile users need to download Ditto TV app from the play store, install it on mobile, register and then start using the service, at Rs 20 per month and is also bundled with Data Special Tariff Voucher for recharge of Rs 223.
iWorld
T20 World Cup ’26: India–England semi-final sets global streaming record of 619 million views on JioHotstar
India–England semi-final records 65.2 million peak streams
MUMBAI: The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 set a new milestone in global sports streaming, as the India–England semi-final drew record digital audiences on JioHotstar.
The match on 5 March registered 65.2 million peak concurrent viewers, the highest ever recorded for a live event on any streaming platform worldwide. The semi-final also generated 619 million views, making it the most streamed T20 international match in history.
The landmark audience numbers were driven largely by viewers in India, setting a record achieved within a single market, rather than through aggregated viewership across multiple countries.
The high-scoring encounter between India national cricket team and England cricket team produced 499 runs across both innings, fuelling widespread fan engagement across platforms.
According to the International Cricket Council, the digital record surpassed the previous global benchmark of 65 million concurrent viewers, set in November 2024 by another international streaming platform.
Across television and digital platforms combined, the semi-final reached more than 320 million viewers, while total watch time exceeded 23 billion minutes, making it the most watched T20 international match ever.
“This World Cup demonstrates the immense passion of cricket fans and the progress made in bringing the game closer to audiences worldwide,” said ICC chairman Jay Shah.
“This moment reflects the scale of cricket fandom in India and the technological capability required to serve hundreds of millions of viewers simultaneously.”
JioStar vice-chairman Uday Shankar, said the audience surge underscored the future of large-scale digital entertainment.
“One in every three Indians tuned in to watch the second semi-final. Delivering such an experience at scale requires the very best of technology,” he said.
The 619 million views during the match also eclipsed the 533 million views recorded during the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
With the final yet to be played, the 2026 tournament has already set multiple benchmarks in audience reach and digital engagement.
India will face the New Zealand national cricket team in the final on 8 March at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The match will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network and streamed on JioHotstar.
