JioStar is reportedly in discussions with private telecom operators in India—Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea (Vi)—to bundle its streaming service with telecom operators' data plans ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, ET Telecom reported, citing sources. This move follows JioStar's shift to a subscription-based model, ending free IPL streaming, which was previously available on JioCinema.
Also Read: JioStar Launches OTT Platform JioHotstar, Merging JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar
JioStar's Strategy Shift
JioStar has introduced multiple plans, with prices starting at Rs 149 for three months. Higher-tier plans offer 4K streaming and advanced features, including AI-powered insights, real-time stats overlays, multi-angle viewing, and special interest feeds.
"These tie-ups will allow users to access premium JioHotstar content without having separate subscriptions," the report quoted sources as saying.
The report also cited unnamed experts as saying that "bundling OTT (over-the-top) subscriptions with prepaid and postpaid plans will drive telecom data consumption. Free live cricket on JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar fuelled a surge in data usage in the past two years."
"These telecom partnerships will help JioHotstar reach a large internet audience base, especially now that it's behind a paywall," the report quoted an executive familiar with the talks as saying, adding that the discussions include deals for both mobile and home broadband.
Also Read: Airtel to Offer Apple TV+ and Music to Its Wi-Fi and Postpaid Customers
Expanding Viewership through Bundling
The telecom partnerships will allow users to access JioStar content through bundled prepaid and postpaid data plans.
Another person reportedly noted that JioHotstar's content deal with Airtel expired last month, making its renewal crucial for sustaining momentum, especially after the ICC Champions Trophy 2025—the first major tournament behind a paywall since JioHotstar's launch on February 14.
The partnerships will be key for JioStar's goal of reaching over 1 billion viewers across TV and digital platforms, the report said. In 2024, IPL viewership reached 620 million on JioCinema and 541 million on Star Sports. With major cricket events like the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 also moving behind a paywall, securing telecom partnerships is expected to drive both subscriptions and data consumption.
