Airtel beats RJio this time; launches Android powered 'Airtel Internet TV'

Though, Reliance Jio is widely rumoured to roll out its own DTH services soon, along with a smart set-top-box, looks like Bharti Airtel has beaten Ambani's company this time at least. Airtel has launched an Android-based set-top-box, which can essentially convert any standard TV into a smart TV. It comes with built-in support for content apps such as Netflix, YouTube, Google PlayStore, and Airtel Movies among others. As the company explains, this is India’s first Hybrid DTH set-top-box with subscriptions starting at Rs 4,999.

The set-top-box comes with myriad of ports including HDMI, USB, Ethernet, and supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The box is packed with a Bluetooth-enabled remote control, and also supports Google voice search feature. It runs on Android OS and comes with 8GB internal storage.

"With Airtel ‘Internet TV’ we are bringing world-class content from the web and much more to the TV screen. This latest innovation has been designed keeping in mind the needs of Indian homes and it bridges the gap between online and offline worlds to enable an end to end entertainment experience with the convenience of a single device," Sunil Taldar, CEO & Director (DTH), Bharti Airtel said in a statement.

While for new customers, three months subscription of Airtel Digital TV comes at Rs 4,999, a yearly package has been priced at Rs 7,999. Existing Airtel broadband users can avail the service at just Rs 3,999 for a yearly subscription. The set top box is being distributed exclusively through Amazon India as of now. After 12th May, it will also be available online via Flipkart and Snapdeal, and offline via Airtel stores.

The set top box offers 500+ satellite TV channels and has a built-in Chromecast support. The support allows you to cast your favourite movies, games, shows directly from your mobile screen to your TV itself.

As expected, Airtel Internet TV requires an internet connection, and the company recommends a connection of at least 4Mbps. The box supports 4K content, and also lets you pause, record or rewind live shows. There’s also support for screencasting, which lets you mirror your Android, iOS or Windows devices on the TV screen. There’s also support for Dolby Surround Sound Audio.