Amazon Prime Video launches mobile-only plan in India, partners with Airtel

PTI, Jan 13, 2021, 2:42 PM IST

New Delhi: Amazon Prime Video on Wednesday announced the introduction of mobile-only plans in India – a global first – starting at Rs 89, as it looks to woo viewers amid intense competition from Netflix and other players. The video streaming major has partnered with Airtel to roll out the offering to millions of prepaid customers of the telecom major.

“India is one of our fastest growing markets globally with very high engagement rates. Buoyed by this response, we want to double-down on our efforts and reach out to an even larger audience. Powered by affordable data, smartphones have become the preferred screen for entertainment in India,” Amazon Prime Video India Director and Country General Manager Gaurav Gandhi said.

He, however, declined to comment on the number of subscribers of Amazon Prime Video in India.

Amazon Prime Video rival, Netflix introduced a similar mobile-only subscription plan in India for Rs 199 last year.

Bringing in mobile-only plans helps content streaming platforms tap into larger audiences, especially in smaller towns and those consuming content on the go.

Prime Video Mobile Edition is a single-user mobile-only plan, providing SD quality streaming to customers which is created especially for a mobile-first country like India, Gandhi said.

As part of the Prime Video Mobile Edition launch in India, all Airtel customers on bundled prepaid packs can avail a 30-day free trial by signing up to Amazon from the Airtel Thanks app using their mobile number.

After the 30 day-free trial, Airtel customers can access Prime Video Mobile Edition through prepaid recharges starting at Rs 89 for 28-days access to the service along with 6GB data.

Customers who want features like multi-user access, streaming across devices including smart TVs and HD/UHD content along with access to Prime benefits like Prime Music and free fast delivery on Amazon.in can recharge with a 30-day Amazon Prime membership at Rs 131 or recharge with a Rs 349 pack of 28-day validity.

The recharges will be available on the Airtel Thanks app and over a million recharge points across the country.

“Over the last four years, Prime Video has become the country’s most loved premium streaming service with viewership coming from over 4,300 towns and cities. We believe that the Mobile Edition plan will further accelerate Prime Video’s adoption in India,” Gandhi said.

Amazon Prime Video will continue to be available as part of Amazon’s Prime offering that is available for Rs 999 annually or Rs 129 a month.

Over the top (OTT) players like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+Hotstar have seen massive growth in the past few years on the back of cheap data tariffs and availability of affordable smartphones. The adoption of these digital platforms was further accelerated during the pandemic amid restricted social activities like visits to movie theatres.