Reliance Jio has confirmed that its new Jio Bharat phone can only be used with a Jio SIM. This means that the phone will not work with SIM from another carrier like Airtel or Vodafone Idea.
Jio Bharat is a feature phone launched by Reliance Jio earlier this week. The phone is priced at Rs 999 and comes with several features including a 1.77-inch QVGA TFT display, a removable 1000 mAh battery, expandable storage, 3.5mm audio jack, FM radio, 0.3MP camera and support for Jio’s suite of apps.
The company at the launch of the phone said that it is being “launched with the objective of empowering every Indian with the power of digital services, especially those who cannot afford a smartphone.”
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Jio believes that Jio Bharat will mark the dawn of digital freedom in India for the 250 million feature phone users in India and help bridge the digital divide. The affordable pricing and 4G data will help it reach the rural parts of India and encourage digital inclusion in the country.
Jio Bharat phone has been launched as part of company’s “2G Mukt Bharat” vision that aims to drive 2G from the country. Being a Jio SIM-locked phone, Jio Bharat will only work when it has a Jio SIM inside. To facilitate affordable internet access, Jio has also introduced Jio Bharat plans that start at Rs 123. The company believes that other operators are exploiting subscribers with high-priced data plans.
“Lately, this digital disempowerment and disparity for these feature phone users has become worse, with other telecom operators increasing the minimum price to stay connected by more than twice. Even basic voice services for a 30-day period, which used to cost Rs 99 previously, now costs Rs 199. This segment is most exploited by incumbent operators because users in this segment are unable to afford smartphones. Not only do these users face the issue of affordability but also restriction from accessing digital services,” said the company.
Jio claims that its Jio Bharat plans offer seven times more data than other telcos and help save 30% more. Jio Rs 123 plan offers unlimited calling along with 14GB data for 14 days. The annual plan is priced at Rs 1234 and offers unlimited calling with 168GB data for a year.
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