Reliance Jio has launched its own video-calling platform called JioMeet in India to take on Zoom and other video-conferencing platforms. JioMeet seems to be targeted at enterprises more than just regular users as it asks for company domain and work email addresses. However, any user can make a JioMeet ID using his/her email account or can even use their phone number to register and start a meeting. Here are the key features of JioMeet and its comparison with Zoom.
Zoom basic free plan vs JioMeet
JioMeet allows up to 100 members to be on the same video meeting altogether similar to Zoom’s basic free plan. But there’s a difference in time limit and a clear advantage of using JioMeet at least initially.
Currently, JioMeet allows 100 members to be on a group video call for 24 hours with no restrictions. On the other hand, Zoom allows free unlimited 1-to-1 meetings. But for group meetings of 3 people or more up to 100, only 40 minutes are available for free. If you wish to continue beyond 40 minutes, you will have to disconnect and start another meeting. This is where JioMeet comes handy initially, you can continue the meeting with 100 members for up to 24 hours.
Zoom paid plans vs JioMeet
For free and limited usage, JioMeet offers a clear advantage. But when it comes to hosting larger meetings with more features and flexibility, paid Zoom Pro plans to make more sense. There are three paid plans of Zoom for small teams, SMEs and large enterprises. The plans start at $14.99 per month per host for up to 9 hosts. But if you need more hosts then you will have to opt for costlier plans. For larger enterprises, Zoom allows up to 1000 participants on a single video call. Zoom also offers custom plans for hosting webinars and Zoom rooms.
On the other hand, JioMeet hasn’t announced any paid plans yet and it is still unclear as to how many users can JioMeet accommodate for larger enterprises. As for webinars or classroom lectures, there is little clarification from JioMeet as of now.
JioMeet vs Zoom experience
JioMeet offers a very similar user experience when compared to Zoom. JioMeet is available across all platforms including Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and web via respective app stores. Users can also download it from Jio Meet’s official website. You can schedule a meeting in advance, password protects meetings, and even create a waiting room. Screen Sharing and recording options are also there on both. In fact, all basic features of Zoom are present in JioMeet.
JioMeet also claims to support interoperability and can be used on old video conferencing devices as well. The video quality is restricted to 720p in JioMeet and there is the option to change the input camera as well. This means you can use third-party camera apps or a separate video camera altogether for meetings. Zoom also has these features.
Encryption
Zoom will be offering End-to-End (E2E) encryption to both free and paid users. Without E2E encryption, the security provided by video-calling apps is similar to browsing a website over HTTPS.
Reliance Jio claims that meetings in JioMeet are encrypted and password protected. However, the company hasn’t revealed any details about End-to-End (E2E) encryption.
April 2, 2021