Bharti Airtel planning to launch their own video conferencing platform

Bharti Airtel planning to launch their own video conferencing platform

Bharti Airtel Ltd is planning to launch its own unified video conferencing service to tap the growing marketplace for such platforms that already have players like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Hangouts, and the latest JioMeet.

The telco will initially offer the merchandise to startups and enterprises and can roll out the platform for normal customers after assessing the response, a source conscious of the telco’s plans confirmed to Mint.

Bharti Airtel has declined to comment.

This follows the launch of rival Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd's video conferencing service JioMeet on 1 July, which is liberal to use. Though the platform has drawn flak on social media for being starkly almost like Zoom, it's started gaining popularity among officialdom.

Niti Aayog chief military officer (CEO) Amitabh Kant on Saturday said JioMeet is “better than Zoom" and lauded the platform for being safe. during a post on Twitter, Kant said, “Tried JioMeet video-conferencing. It’s easy & simple! Better than Zoom. Meetings are encrypted & password protected. Unlimited high-definition calls. All data in India. Emerges as a serious technological disruption from India. Will go places in these challenging times."

NK Singh, chairman of the 15th Finance Commission, said the commission exploring to vary over to Jio Meet which he fully endorses the platform.

“I fully endorse and acclaim Jio Meet, which aside from the standard of the platform, maybe a primarily domestic effort which needs our support and recognition. The 15th Finance Commission is exploring to vary over to Jio Meet for all its subsequent meetings and interactions," Singh said on Twitter on Sunday.

Airtel’s video conferencing service also will bolster Prime Minister’s Narendra Modi’s vision to make and develop domestic technology with the assistance of local startups and corporations, and reduce dependency on foreign apps.

Telecom and knowledge technology minister Shankar Prasad had last week, said India should become a hub for mobile and electronics manufacturing and make in-house apps to finish its dependence on foreign origin apps that push "their own agenda".

The government, on 29 June, banned 59 Chinese apps, including Bytedance’s Tik Tok, Alibaba’s UC Browser, WeChat, Shareit, and Mi Video by Xiaomi, a result of the rising tensions along the India-China border.

Last month, things had come to a head when troops form each side engaged in violent clashes, which led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers, including a Colonel.

While announcing the ban, the govt had said the apps "are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state and public order.

The other apps which are banned include UC News, Cam Scanner, Baidu Translate, We Meet, DU Privacy, WeSync, Sweet Selfie. It had said the move "will safeguard the interests of crores of Indian mobile and internet users. This decision may be a targeted move to make sure the safety and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace."