After disrupting the telecom sector, Reliance Jio has made its entry into the fiber optic home broadband space. The company announced its FTTH broadband plans in India starting at Rs 699 for a 100Mbps connection going all the way up to Rs 3,999 and Rs 8,499 for 1Gbps plans. The wave of disruption put rivals in a tough spot, but they're fighting back.
Airtel has stepped up its game in the broadband space by introducing an all-new 1Gbps Xstream Fiber plan to give a befitting reply to Reliance JioFiber's flagship plan. With both main providers offering 1Gbps plans, ACT Fibernet is also a key player and one of the earliest ones to join the bandwagon.
With all the available offers from all three carriers on the 1Gbps plans, it is natural to get confused. In this article, we compare all the 1Gbps plans from JioFiber, Airtel Xstream Fiber and ACT Giga, so it becomes easier for you to choose your next broadband provider.
Reliance JioFiber
JioFiber the latest buzz word in the broadband industry. The telco offers two 1Gbps plans at Rs 3,999 and Rs 8,499 per month. In both these plans, customers get unlimited internet access. But the 1Gbps speed is capped till 2,500GB in the Platinum (Rs 3,999) plan and 5,000GB in the Titanium (Rs 8,499) monthly plan.
But Jio's focus is not just broadband, but to offer all-in-one multimedia bundle. In the broadband packages, JioFiber offers a free 4K set-top-box, Jio Home Gateway (a router) and a landline connection with unlimited calling. Reliance Jio charges Rs 1,000 for installation and Rs 1,500 towards a refundable deposit.
For entertainment buffs, Reliance JioFiber comes with an annual subscription to OTT apps, which are yet to be revealed. Customers get added services like TV video calling, zero-latency gaming, Norton security for up to 5 devices, access to VR services and its upcoming First Day-First Show movies.
Reliance JioFiber services are available to customers across India, but customers need to register on the company's official website and the Jio sales team will get back with installation details depending on the feasibility in the area.
Airtel Xstream Fiber
Moving on, Reliance Jio's biggest rival, Airtel, introduced a 1Gbps plan in response to JioFiber's flagship offerings. Dubbed as Xstream Fiber, Airtel offers 1Gbps FTTH broadband service to customers at the same price as JioFiber's Platinum package. At a monthly rental of Rs 3,999, customers get 1Gbps speeds for 3.3TB data, which is by-far the highest data allotment given by any service provider in India. Post the FUP limit, the speed is throttled to 1Mbps, as in the case of JioFiber and ACT Fibernet.
Like Reliance JioFiber, Airtel Xstream Fiber is bundled with unlimited fixed-line calling. Customers must buy an Xstream TV box to enjoy the total benefits and it costs Rs 3,999. There's a discount for existing customers on the set-top-box.
In addition to that, Airtel is bundling its 1Gbps package with #AirtelThanks benefits, which includes 3 months of free subscription to Netflix, an annual subscription to Amazon Prime Video and a free premium subscription to Airtel Xstream app and Zee5.
Airtel said that its Xstream Fiber will be available in Delhi, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida, Ghaziabad, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Indore, Jaipur and Ahmedabad starting Wednesday, with more cities to be added to the list soon.
ACT GIGA
Unlike Airtel and Reliance Jio, ACT Fibernet is popular in south India, but it has been expanding its reach across the country at a rapid pace. With affordable plans and efficient services, ACT has earned a name in the broadband industry and with the ACT GIGA 1Gbps plans, it competes against giants like Airtel and Reliance Jio.
ACT GIGA offers its 1Gbps plan with 2,500GB FUP limit and 1Mbps post exhaustion for Rs 5,999 a month. But customers can get 6-month or 12-month plans and end up paying Rs 3,999 per month. This is same as what Airtel and Reliance are offering in terms of tariffs.
ACT GIGA plan also comes bundled with free subscription to Netflix. Customers need to check for availability in the area before taking up ACT on its offer.
Final thoughts
All three service providers have competitive plans. But if we have to pick one winner, it is Airtel's Xstream Fiber, which clearly gives more benefits than Reliance Jio and ACT GIGA. Airtel not only offers better subscriptions to OTT apps, but it also gives a generous amount of data, more than what Reliance Jio and ACT are offering.
By the looks of it, JioFiber is not going to be as disruptive as in the 4G telecom industry in regards to the 1Gbps plans. The rivals are simply well-equipped to counter Jio's offers and Airtel seems to be winning it all.
