Airtel has today launched an Android-based set-top-box, which can essentially convert any standard TV into a smart TV. As the company explains, this is India’s first Hybrid DTH set-top-box. Subscription rates for Airtel’s Internet TV start from Rs 4,999.
The set-top-box essentially comes with a myriad of ports including HDMI, USB, Ethernet, and supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The box is bundled with a Bluetooth-enabled remote control, and also supports Google voice search feature. The set-top-box runs on Android OS, and comes with 8GB internal storage. There are also preloaded apps such as Netflix, YouTube, Google Play Music, Airtel Movies, and more. Since there is also Google Play onboard, you can download and use apps or games on your TV. The bundled app subscriptions aren’t free forever. You get three months of Eros Now and one month of Netflix subscription free, and then you have to pay for these apps anyway.
“Growing broadband penetration is driving the popularity of online content, particularly in urban homes, and with Airtel ‘Internet TV’ we are bringing world-class content from the web and much more to the TV screen,” Sunil Taldar, CEO & Director – DTH, Bharti Airtel said. “This latest innovation has been designed keeping in mind the needs of Indian homes and it bridges the gap between online and offline worlds to enable an end to end entertainment experience with the convenience of a single device. We will continue to add exciting content platforms to Airtel ‘Internet TV’ and invite customers to experience this innovative offering.”
As you would expect, Airtel Internet TV requires an internet connection, and the company recommends a connection of at least 4Mbps. Airtel says it will give you up to 25GB data free with the subscription. But the free data will be redundant if you don’t have Airtel internet at home.
And there’s the fine print too – “Airtel broadband customers with rental <=999, will get additional 10GB & with rental>999 , will get additional 25GB on broadband account every month.” Also, you need to have an active DTH plan to access all these apps. This essentially means if you don’t recharge one month, you lose access to these apps as well.
The box supports 4K content, and also lets you pause, record or rewind live shows. There’s also support for screen casting, which lets you mirror your Android, iOS or Windows devices on the TV screen. There’s also support for Dolby Surround Sound Audio.
Subscription rates for Airtel Internet TV start from Rs 4,999 valid for three months. As an introductory offer, Airtel is also offering annual subscription for Rs 7,999. Existing Airtel users can subscribe for Rs 3,999, which includes content and more than 500 satellite channels. Existing Airtel broadband customers who plan to buy the Internet TV, can register for myHOME on the MyAirtel app, and can get up to 25GB additional data. The set-top-box will be available exclusively via Amazon India starting today. After a month, Airtel Internet TV will be available online via Flipkart and Snapdeal, and offline via Airtel stores.
In the DTH market, Airtel competes against the likes of Dish TV, Tata Sky and Videocon D2H. Per an ET report, Airtel is the second-biggest in the DTH segment by revenue, and third-biggest by subscribers base. Airtel’s launch comes at a time when Reliance Jio is widely rumored to roll out its own DTH services in India, and it too is expected to launch a smart set-top-box.
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| Airtel Internet TV |
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