Tata DoCoMo, YouTube join hands to make online video more affordable

Tata DoCoMo, the telecom brand of Tata Teleservices, in partnership with YouTube and Apalya Technologies has launched a video data plan - 'YouTube Recharge' – in an attempt to make video content more affordable to a large base of mobile internet users. The company is looking at slashing charges by more than 50 per cent.

Through this initiative, Tata Docomo will provide affordable and open access to popular video sharing sites such as YouTube and Apalya's Live TV streaming service by bringing in transparent and affordable pricing to the end users.

''We are the first service provider in India to enable our users to enjoy affordable access to a vast repository of premium and popular video content on YouTube and to live TV channel content available on Apalya's Mobile TV service,'' Gurinder Singh Sandhu, head, marketing mobility at Tata Teleservices said.

''With the YouTube Recharge plan, we are bringing down the barriers that inhibit users from enjoying their favorite video content on mobile by bringing down the cost by over 50 per cent,'' he added.

The new YouTube Recharge plan, will enable mobile internet users to enjoy full access to their favorite content such as Bollywood music, educational videos and beauty tutorials on YouTube, or live TV programming on Apalya's Mobile TV.

Research shows that online video consumption is pegged at 3.7 billion videos per month in the country. According to ComScore, the total online video audience in India saw growth of over 70 per cent in 2013 with the average viewer watching 18 per cent more videos and spending 28 per cent more time viewing.

''Today, people turn to YouTube to get content whenever and wherever they want it, and we want to bring them a fantastic YouTube experience across devices. By working with Tata Docomo to introduce more affordable ways to watch videos from mobile devices, we hope Indians will be able to get more out of YouTube at a better price,'' said Gautam Anand, director content partnerships and operations for YouTube Asia-Pacific.

About 40 per cent of traffic on YouTube now comes from mobile phones and tablets, and the proliferation of smart phones in combination with affordable data plans can become a catalyst in spurring the growth of online video consumption in India.

YouTube recharge plans: