Tata Docomo has teamed up with YouTube and Apalya Technologies to introduce a 3G video streaming plan called YouTube recharge/. The Rs. 9 plan provides users 100 MB usage for a 24 hour period; the Rs. 119 plan provides 150 MB data with a validity of 3 days, and a Rs. 39 plan with 300 MB data valid for 7 days.
This partnership makes perfect sense for YouTube, given that most mobile phone users in India are still wary of data plan expenditure. Entry-level barriers, like cost, have stifled mass adoption of mobile internet usage in India. Apparently, 40 percent of YouTube’s traffic rolls in from mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones. YouTube realizes that the most Indian users are still accessing the site through a 2G connection. The number of 3G devices in India is greater than the number of 3G users, because a lot of use 2G connections on 3G compatible phones.
Tata Docomo understands the eccentricity of the Indian market. This is not their first site/app specific data plan offering. Early, last year, Tata Docomo inked a deal with the online music streaming service Saavn to offer music-based data plan to its subscribers. In December 2013, Tata Docomo introduced a WhatsApp-spefici data plan as well which had unlimited WhatsApp usage for a 15 day period for Rs. 15.
This Tata Docomo, Apalya Technologies and YouTube is not the first of its kind for the last mentioned party. Apalya Technologies has also shaken hands with DiGi in Malaysia over a somewhat similar partnership.
– By Anand Thakkar
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