Insta
Browsing On Your Phone Is The Cheapest In The World: Indians Have Access To ‘Staggeringly Cheap’ Data, Says Report
Representative image (Unsplash/Oleg Magni)
According to a recent study, India has the lowest data rates in the world with 1GB of internet data costing just Rs 18.5 ($0.26), just 3 per cent of the global average of Rs 600 ($8.53), reports Economic Times (ET).
Price comparison site Cable.co.uk published the study, analysing mobile data charges in over 230 countries. While the average rate for one gigabyte (GB) of data in the UK was $6.66, it was $12.37 in the US. It should be noted that the per capita income of both these countries is significantly higher than that of India.
"A country whose young population has a particularly high technological awareness, India offers a vibrant smartphone market, with strong adoption and many competitors. Data, therefore, is quite staggeringly cheap," it said.
Low data prices in India can be attributed to the ongoing price war in the Indian telecom industry which was triggered by the launch of Reliance Jio in September 2016. Due to rock-bottom prices, many telecom players in the industry have reported losses for consecutive quarters.
Cheaper Than Cold Drink
In October 2018 Prime Minister Narendra Modi had remarked that “1 GB data in India was cheaper than a bottle of cold drink in the country.” He had also showered praise on India’s “tremendous progress” in setting up the digital infrastructure,
Zimbabwe is the most expensive country with 1GB of data costing an average $75.20.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.
Latest
