Reliance Jio, Airtel broadband plans under scanner for violation of broadcast rules: Report

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has launched an investigation into the fixed-line broadband plans of Reliance Jio and Airtel, following concerns about potential tariff and broadcast rules violations.

A report by The Economic Times reports the new investigation. This comes after Airtel had requested TRAI to block JioFiber Backup plans, claiming that they were creating an uneven playing field in the DTH digital TV market, and harming consumer interests and competition. In response, Jio had asked TRAI to warn Airtel against making baseless complaints.

Airtel's complaint alleged that Jio had been broadcasting live TV and over-the-top (OTT) apps, which was a breach of broadcasting and downlinking rules. However, Jio denied any breach of broadcasting or telecom regulations and accused Airtel of targeting the telco through this complaint.

Meanwhile, Tata Play has accused Jio and Airtel of engaging in predatory pricing by offering bundled live TV channels and OTT apps with their broadband deals. The TRAI's investigation will be crucial in determining if any wrongdoing has occurred, and if so, what action should be taken.

Also read: Reliance Jio installs 1 lakh towers to roll out 5G network

Broadband Market Dominated by Jio

Reliance Jio has quickly climbed to the top spot of broadband users in the country. According to the TRAI data released in the month of January 2023, Reliance Jio has a market share of 51.72 per cent, which includes both wired and wireless services. The second spot is occupied by Bharti Airtel which controls 28.29 per cent of the entire broadband market.

Vodafone Idea is in the third spot with 14.90 per cent market share. State-owned BSNL only captures 3.22 per cent of the entire broadband market share.