- JioHomeTV could go live in the next few weeks
- Reliance JioHomeTV could offer SD channels at Rs 200, and SD+HD channels at Rs 400
- Reliance Jio DTH service is different from JioHomeTV, which uses eMBMS
Reliance Jio has culminated into a household name, thanks to the ultra-affordable 4G plans, the new telco's entry transformed the telecommunications industry in India where data is cheaper than ever and voice calls are practically free. Now, Reliance Jio has set eyes on television and broadband sector and is already working towards it.
While the company is actively testing Jio's FTTH fiber broadband service in India, new evidence shows its television ambition has been set in motion. According to a report by TelecomTalk, Reliance Jio is said to offer standard definition (SD) and SD+HD channels at Rs 200 and Rs 400, respectively.
But it is not to be mistaken with Jio DTH service, which has been in the rumors for quite a while although the company reportedly dismissed the claims recently. According to the report, the new service is called JioHomeTV, which will offer SD and HD channels at pocket-friendly prices.
The new streaming service could go live in the next few weeks as the trial tests have been completed, the report added.
What is JioHomeTV?
Reliance Jio's new television broadcasting service is based on eMBMS or Enhanced Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service. The eMBMS technology combines one-to-many broadcast systems used by TV and radio channels and one-to-one architecture used by telecom service providers. This helps with scalability.
By using Jio's new service, users won't have to rely on an active internet connection as the company could broadcast some content for offline viewing even in HD, the report added.
In addition, Reliance Jio had an app called JioBroadcast in Google Play Store, which has since been removed, but the timing of this latest information aligns perfectly towards the company's plans to rebrand JioBroadcast to JioHomeTV.
The latest news follows an earlier announcement from Reliance Jio about performing "eMBMS broadcast stream across Pan-India." But it is not clear if the company will continue providing content through its MyJio suite of apps upon the launch of JioHomeTV or Jio set-top-box or replace it with the new eMBMS service.
Jio DTH
Reliance Jio is internally testing the Jio DTH services but has revealed no plans to launch them commercially. The company's next focus is on the fiber broadband, and it's likely the company could launch Jio DTH plans post FTTH broadband rollout. Either way, Jio DTH could take longer than expected, but the JioHomeTV could keep consumers' interest intact in the meantime.
