BSNL's affordable plans with Netflix, Amazon Prime to challenge Jio and Airtel

BSNL is preparing to introduce new recharge plans bundled with popular OTT platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime, posing a potential threat to competitors Jio and Airtel. During the recent AskBSNL event, a senior BSNL official disclosed that the telecom company is evaluating the feasibility of launching these new plans.

Currently, BSNL is the only telecom operator in India that does not offer recharge plans with Netflix and Amazon Prime. However, in response to a user's query during the AskBSNL initiative, the Director of CM, BSNL, confirmed that while they do provide some recharge plans with OTT offerings, they are considering including Netflix and Amazon Prime specifically.

Netflix is viewed as the premium OTT platform in India due to its higher subscription costs compared to other services. Conversely, Amazon Prime offers an affordable subscription with extensive benefits, including Prime Reading, Prime Shopping, Prime Video, Prime Music, and more.

Additionally, in response to an inquiry about the new eSIM facility, the Director mentioned that BSNL is actively working on implementing this feature, with an expected launch around March 2025. BSNL has seen a significant increase of over 5.5 million new subscribers since July, following private telecom operators Jio, Airtel, and Vi's decision to raise mobile tariffs by up to 15 percent. This tariff hike has led many users to switch to BSNL, which offers some of the most affordable plans in the country and currently has no plans to increase its rates.

Meanwhile, private telecom companies are optimistic that former subscribers will return, believing that BSNL might struggle to provide the same level of customer service. In response, BSNL is making concerted efforts to enhance its services to compete more effectively with private operators.