iWorld
Jio Bharat: Bridging the gap between ‘Bharat’ and ‘India’
Mumbai: Earlier this week, Reliance Jio launched India’s most affordable 4G phone ‘Jio Bharat’, at an unprecedented Rs 999 price point. The development comes on the back of Jio’s ambition to make India 2G free. Why is that important, you ask?
At a time when the 5G network roll out is picking pace in the country, we still have an estimated 250 million mobile subscribers trapped in the 2G era with feature phones. These users currently have no internet access, digital payment or entertainment options. And this results into a big digital divide in the country, predominantly existing between urban and rural India. It has increased over the years because of the inability of the rural, low income population to afford basic digital services.
According to a new report by Emkay Global Financial Services, with the recent increase in 2G tariff by telecom operators and limited availability of affordable feature phones, JioBharat is coming at the right time to accelerate the 2G to 4G transition and enable digital experiences for masses. The Jio Bharat phone is expected to democratise internet access, enhancing these users’ economic prospects. With Jio’s network and distribution strength along with the device, Jio would be able to capture over 40 per cent market share.
With the government’s consistent push for digital payments, we have seen a significant behavioural shift in our cash-driven economy. The UPI system has grown rapidly and is now used by close to 300 million individuals and 50 million merchants. It is already announced that all panchayats across the country will mandatorily use digital payments for development work and revenue collection from 15th August. Therefore, Jio Bharat’s entry with JioPay, a UPI-based digital payments app is poised to propel the growth of digital payments in rural India.
Jio Bharat is not only the cheapest 4G phone, but also 30 per cent cheaper than competition in terms of service cost. A recharge of Rs 123 per month will provide users with unlimited voice calls and 14 GB data, compared to other operators’ Rs 179 plan for voice calls and only 2 GB data.
According to the India Telecom report by JP Morgan, ‘Jio Bharat’ has the potential to disrupt the entry-level market. “We believe with this phone Jio can take market share at the lower end of the market. This also puts Bharti at risk as it can see increased churn from its recent 2G price action of increasing the Rs 99 plan to Rs 155 plan,” said the JP Morgan report.
The launch of the Jio Bharat phone is a significant step towards digital inclusion in India. It promises to make quality, affordable internet accessible to everyone. This could transform the lives of people who have previously been restricted to 2G due to financial limitations and help bridge the gap between ‘India’ and ‘Bharat’.
iWorld
Banijay Asia’s The 50 tops OTT charts with 8.1 million JioHotstar views
Reality competition becomes most watched show on JioHotstar in debut week.
MUMBAI: Fifty contestants walked into a palace, but millions of viewers showed up for the drama. Reality competition The 50, produced by Banijay Asia, has emerged as the most watched show on JioHotstar, clocking 8.1 million views in its debut week. The figure, reported by Ormax Media, places the show at the top of the OTT viewership charts and marks a strong opening for the digital reality format.
Adapted from a popular French format, The 50 brings together 50 personalities from television, digital platforms, music and reality shows inside a grand palace setting. Over the course of a 50 day competition, participants form alliances, compete in unpredictable tasks and navigate eliminations as the field steadily narrows.
Guiding the game is a mysterious figure known as The Lion, an unseen game master whose voice introduces twists, challenges and strategic turns throughout the show, adding an extra layer of suspense to the contest.
What distinguishes The 50 from typical reality competitions is its audience driven prize structure. Instead of the winner taking home the final reward, the prize is awarded to one of the winner’s registered followers through the show’s dedicated app. The mechanism effectively turns viewers into participants, allowing fans to have a direct stake in the outcome.
The contestant lineup features a mix of television actors, reality stars and digital creators, including Karan Patel, Urvashi Dholakia, Divya Agarwal, Mr Faisu and Dushyant Kukreja, each bringing their own fan following to the show.
With its blend of celebrity personalities, strategic gameplay and interactive viewer participation, The 50 has quickly carved out a strong foothold in India’s digital entertainment landscape. Its 8.1 million views in the opening week underline the growing appetite for large scale reality formats designed specifically for OTT audiences.
