Tata Docomo has partnered YouTube and Apalya Technologies to introduce a 3G video streaming plan called YouTube Recharge, reported The Economic Times. The Rs 9 plan provides users 100 MB usage for a 24 hour period; the Rs.19 plan provides 150 MB data with a validity of 3 days, and an Rs.39 plan with 300 MB data valid for 7 days. Last year YouTube crossed the 50 million unique visitors per month mark in India. In 2013 YouTube had also rolled out its movie rental service in the country. This latest tie-up with Tata Docomo makes perfect sense for YouTube, given that most mobile phone users in India are still wary of data plan expenditure. Entry-level barriers, like cost, have stifled mass adoption of mobile Internet usage in India. The past couple of years, mobile network operators in India have been exploring the ‘Web Pass’ avenue to encourage mobile internet usage, even among feature phone users. The demand for site-specific data plans is also greater than that for a comprehensive web experience. YouTube realises that most Indian users are still accessing the site through a 2G connection. Francisco Varela, Global Director of Platform Partnerships, YouTube, said so himself during a conversation with MediNama. According to Varela (in 2013), 90% of Indian YouTube users were on 2G connections, and only 10% on 3G. He also touched upon an important aspect of this paucity in 3G users. The number of 3G devices in India is greater than the number of 3G users, because…
