For so long we’ve been talking about Internet penetration in India and how it’s going to change everything. We’ve been waiting with bated breath. Are we finally there?
Almost, I think. With Jio, a lot has changed. Let’s face it, giving data away for free was a pretty massive move (no matter how much it stank of Samuel L Jackson’s awful movie — Kingsman). And we see signs of its impact everywhere. In the graphs I keep including in my e-mails (like this one), in the way your office peon is always on YouTube and how everyone suddenly has 2 numbers.
I always wondered if people actually do speed tests on their phones. I just operate between ‘Not Working/ Slow/ Not So Slow’. Turns out they do. I’m not sure if this is the effect of all those ads on television or the result of people comparing the speeds between different networks. But the trend peaks out shortly after Jio was launched.
Regardless of the cause, it’s an interesting data point for those of us who’ve been waiting for an identifiable inflection point. For those still in doubt. Jio is that inflection point.
By the mere fact of its existence, the markets moved. My personal phone bills came down by nearly half in just last 3 months. I didn’t change my consumption patterns, I didn’t change my bill plan, I literally did nothing (w.r.t. to my bill plan of course) and just like that the bill amounts started falling. I’m willing to bet this has happened to most people in India who’ll read this e-mail.
This is an interesting take on the forces at play within the telecom industry right now. Even as a consumer you should want Idea and Airtel to survive (& thrive?), more operators mean cheaper phone bills. Not only do falling tariffs make phone connections more affordable, they also expand the market in very real terms.
Thanks for your time,
Ashish
- Team KG
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You can reach me on ashish@kalagato.com
