Airtel gripe vicious, aims to defame our user-friendly tariffs: Jio to Trai

Bharti Airtel recent requested Trai to bring content aired via broadband under the regulatory fold and keep a check on discriminatory bundling tactics

Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (RJIL) has written to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) stating that a recent complaint against it by rival Bharti Airtel is a deliberate and malicious attempt to defame RJILs consumer-friendly tariffs. RJIL has also asked TRAI to warn Airtel against 'making such frivolous complaints in future'.

The move is in response to Bharti Airtel's recent request to TRAI, asking it to bring content aired through broadband under the regulatory fold and keep a check on discriminatory bundling tactics.

The company had recently approached TRAI, seeking a one-service-one rate system that prohibits differential pricing by telecom operators for content on their apps if the same content is available on DTH and Cable TV channels, the Financial Express had reported on Tuesday.

Subsequently TRAI had sought paragraph-wise comments from Jio on Airtel's complaint about alleged predatory offers made by RJIL's Live TV channels with broadband plans.

"A close reading of the complaint letter would clearly establish that Airtel’s sole grouse is that JioFiber is offering reasonable tariffs to customers," Jio said in the latest letter, a copy of which has been reviewed by Business Standard.

"Evidently, all its unsubstantiated claims of predation, non-level playing field, non-compliance with TTO’s and NTO are just woven around this singular theme and this complaint should be dismissed simply on the ground of being frivolous attempt to protect its own interests," the letter stressed.

The Telecom Tariff Orders periodically issued by TRAI dictate the rules, reporting procedures, and scope of telecom tariffs. On the other hand, TRAI's New Tariff Order (NTO) reinstated the Rs 19 minimum recharge price cap for TV channel inclusion in an offered bouquet of channels by broadcaster.

Controversial IPL telecast

The trigger for the latest tussle had been the free telecast of Indian Premier League (IPL) matches by Reliance Jio on its JioCinema app. JioCinema owns the digital rights for IPL matches and Disney-Star has the broadcasting rights.

Viewers with JioCinema can watch the IPL matches for free. However, Disney-Star has to charge customers as they have to follow Trai's order of a fixed channel rate of Rs 19. An entry-level cable TV bouquet costs around Rs 325 per month which may or may not have Disney Star.

However, Reliance Jio has now countered this, saying the JioFiber backup tariff is an 'earnest attempt by RJIL to connect all consumers to fiber optics technology in order to deliver best in class connectivity services'.

The JioFiber Backup plan is a 10 Mbps FTTX plan at monthly rental of Rs. 198 (plus taxes). "This plan is available only on 5 months advance rental at one go. Further, the subscribers have the option to add Add-on packs of Rs. 100 or Rs. 200 per month provided by Jio Platforms Limited (JPL) in order to get access to upto 14 OTT apps along with Jio’s OTT apps provided by JPL," it said in the letter.

Based on this argument, RJIL submitted it's product offering is limited to connectivity services and it does not include subscription to OTT applications or any broadcasting services.