Prasar Bharati’s WAVES OTT unveils subscription plans, adds rentals for premium content

New Delhi: Prasar Bharati has introduced subscription plans for its OTT platform, WAVES, within the first year of its launch.

The plan involves a hybrid model, with several titles behind a paywall while other content remains available for free.

The pubcaster has introduced two paid subscription plans, Platinum and Diamond, while the free subscription is called Gold.

The Platinum subscription costs users Rs 999 annually for Ultra HD content across four devices. This plan offers a flat 10% discount on rentals.

Rentals are a part of a transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) model, allowing users to access premium content.

Sources at the pubcaster noted that not all content attracts enough advertising. In certain cases, such as fresh movies and newly released web series, the content cannot be made publicly available immediately. These scenarios require a more controlled approach before releasing the content to the public, the sources added.

The Diamond plan is available annually for Rs 350, offering HD content across two devices. This plan does not offer any discount on rentals.

The Diamond plan is also available on a quarterly and monthly basis, costing Rs 85 for a quarter and Rs 30 per month.

“We are trying out different options to help WAVES achieve the best concurrency of users,” a source said.

To attract concurrent users, the pubcaster acknowledged the need to bring in engaging content. “There are many content providers who are ready to come on board under a revenue-sharing model. Not all content is purchasable. Therefore, we will offer them the platform to host their content, and whatever revenue is generated will be shared between Prasar Bharati and the content providers.”

Sources claimed that the WAVES app is witnessing rapid growth and has crossed 4 million downloads.

In December 2024, WAVES had crossed the 1 million downloads mark. I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the milestone on X, writing, “WAVES OTT App by Prasar Bharati crosses a significant milestone of 1 million downloads.”

Launched during the 55th International Film Festival of India in Goa in November, WAVES made its debut as an aggregator OTT platform, featuring stories rooted in Indian culture with a global perspective.

The platform offers content in over 12 languages - Hindi, English, Bengali, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati, Punjabi, and Assamese - across more than 10 entertainment genres.

Its offerings include video-on-demand, free-to-play gaming, radio streaming, live TV streaming, 65 live channels, and several app-in-app integrations such as Lionsgate PTC for video, and Mud Games, Tag Labs, Freak X Games, and Game Tech Point for gaming content. The platform also includes educational content (such as PACE’s test prep tutorials) and online shopping through CSC-SPV’s ONDC-supported e-commerce platform.