BSNL announced its mobile content deal with Eros International as part of the strategy to enhance its ARPU and revenue.
Eros Now, an over-the-top (OTT) entertainment platform, will deliver the on-demand mobile video content to BSNL’s post-paid and pre-paid subscribers across all packs and tariffs.

The deal will assist Eros International in enhancing the reach of Eros Now paid subscribers across the rural parts of India.

Eros Now app includes a library of 11,000 plus movies, digital originals, Eros Now Quickies, music videos and more.

“BSNL has taken this initiative of offering unlimited free viewing of video content on the Eros Now app. This service will be made available to BSNL subscribers by end of January 2019,” Anupam Shrivastava, chairman and managing director of BSNL, said.

BSNL has 113.05 million mobile subscribers in India excluding Delhi and Mumbai metros. BSNL’s 35.72 million mobile subscribers are in rural India. BSNL has 20.12 million wired and wireless broadband subscribers.

BSNL’s average gross revenue fell 15.32 percent to Rs 1925.33 crore during July-August-Sept quarter of 2018 as compared with the previous quarter, according to the latest statistics report from telecom regulator TRAI.

Half of the internet population in India will be from rural areas by 2020 as the internet penetration there is expected to grow to 35 percent, as per the recent report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

The strategy of Eros Now is in driving video OTT services to in rural India focusing on rural Tier II and III markets, said Rishika Lulla Singh, CEO of Eros Digital.

The OTT industry in India is expected to reach $5 billion by 2023 with tier II, III and rural areas of India witnessing a sizeable increase in mobile penetration and data consumption.