IPL 2018: Airtel and Reliance Jio in data war – whose is the best offer?
Telecom giants like Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio have launched numerous offers, keeping in mind the interest of cricket fan, to provide massive data not only for live streaming in stadium, but also making the cricket matches more fun by watching them just sitting at home.
The VivoIPL (Indian Premier League) 2018 had its first match on Saturday, with the opening match between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI). Keeping the interest of cricket fans in mind, telecom giants like Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio have released numerous offers to provide massive data not only for live streaming in stadium, but also making the cricket matches more fun by watching them just sitting at home. These two telecom companies have always gone way ahead in providing best offers to attract their customers, and it was no different this time. Let’s look at the offers provided by these two companies.
Bharti Airtel
The postpaid plan of Rs 649
The company has introduced its Rs 649 postpaid plan again, which now offers a total of 50GB rollover data in 3G/4G network. This means that, under this pack, the unused data in a given month will get carry forwarded for the next month. Also, the pack is offering unlimited STD and local calls. This packs also includes outgoing and incoming roaming calls. Free add on connection facility is available in addition to the unlimited calls.Various other benefits are being offered – like Live TV & Movies,Wynk Musicand Handset Damage Protection.
Live Streaming
Airtel is also offering LIVE streaming of season 11 of IPL through Hotstar. New version of Airtel TV app has been launched which is offering a dedicated cricket section, in addition to ‘all the LIVE action’. App’s latest version has been made available on both iOS and Android.The user can not only choose and follow his/her favourite team on the app but is also given a facility to keep up with the upcoming schedule, leader-board and ongoing matches. The thing that needs to be noted is that the offer is exclusively available for Airtel users. A non-Airtel user, in order to avail this offer, needs to get 4G SIM of Airtel which has to be inserted in SIM Slot 1 of the smartphone.
Bonus data
In order to make this 11th season of IPL more exciting, Airtel is offering its customers bonus data for the recharge packs of Rs 699 and above. The recharge pack and the bonus data being offered is as follows:
| Recharge pack | Normal Broadband Data | Bonus Data |
| 699 | 40GB | 500GB |
| 849 | 55GB | 750GB |
| 1099 | 100GB | 1000GB |
| 1799 | 275GB | 1000GB |
| 2199 | 1200GB | 1000GB |
Apart from the Rs 699 pack, the other packs have a facility of data rollover and free 1-year Amazon Prime subscription. Note that these offers of bonus data on the above packs is valid only till 31st October 2018.
Super-fast speed at the match venues
Airtel has decided to set upan advanced “Massive MIMO Pre-5G technology”across all the match venues of IPL 2018. On Saturday, this was started with Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This pre-5G technology is going to be set up in all IPL match venues in the cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Indore, Mohali, Bengaluru,Jaipurand Chennai.
Reliance Jio
With the advent of India’s biggest Cricket extravaganza; Jio has hit another sixer by launching world’s largest LIVE mobile game -‘Jio Cricket Play Along’. This game lets the participants plan and win prizes worth crores; and a show – ‘Jio DhanDhanaDhan LIVE’ where Cricket meets Comedy.
Jio Cricket Season Pack
Reliance Jio has introduced a pack exclusively for Cricket Season which allows cricket lovers to access their favoritelive matches on mobile phone and streaming of almost all the LIVE matches throughout the 11th season of IPL. It is a recharge pack of Rs 251 which offers 102 GB Data. ‘Jio Cricket Gold Pass’ has also been introduced by the company on MyJio and JioPhone. This Cricket season pack is the first cricket pack launched by a telecom network which has been made for video and enables millions of people to watch what they love and at the place of their wish.
Pre-5G massive MIMO
Reliance Jio has also decided to install“4G advanced Massive MIMO”to provide its users with an experience of high speed. In addition, the venues of IPL matches will be connected with units of “pre-5G massive MIMO”in order to enhance the performance for the users of the super-fast 4G speed. In the high user density venues, Massive MIMO will be providing more than 5 times the capacity in a 30 MHz wide band spectrum. Thing to note here is that, this offer is only available for matches that will be held in Delhi and Mumbai stadiums.
Considering the craze of the cricket matches, it looks like that Airtel has buckled up with respect to data pack and live streaming, providing tough competition to Reliance Jio. MukeshAmbani-led Reliance Jio’s pre-5G massive MIMO service is only available in two circles, whereas Airtel’s MIMO serviceis available over a wide range of places.
