India’s leading telecom company has announced the launch of a new internet-enabled feature phone. A new initiative by Jio, JioBharat, aims to enable 250 million feature phone users to have internet-enabled phones. The new Jio phone leverages Jio’s network capabilities to provide internet-enabled services to entry-level consumers.
As of July 7, JioBharat will be available in India for Rs 999. One million Jio Bharat phones will be distributed in the first batch. The purpose of this is to ensure the scalability of the platform and processes for upgrading millions of feature phone users. Later this week, the device will be available at all Reliance and Jio stores across India.
The JioBharat phone is one of the cheapest 4G-enabled phones available in India at a cost of Rs 999. The Jio Bharat plan, which offers unlimited calls, 14GB of 4G data, and access to Jio apps such as JioCinema and Jio Saavn, will cost Rs 123 for 28 days.
Specs:
The Jio Bharat features a 1.77-inch display and a T9-style keypad on the front. On the back of the phone, there is a 0.3MP (VGA) camera with an LED flash. Aside from this, the device is equipped with features such as FM radio, UPI support, expandable storage, and a headphone jack. JioPay will be used for UPI payments.
As an alternative to the monthly plan of Rs 123, Jio Bharat Phone users can also opt for the annual plan of Rs.1234 which offers unlimited calls and 0.5GB of 4G data per day. Finally, Jio confirmed that other phone brands will adopt the Jio Bharat platform to build Jio Bharat phones, which may be released later this year.
A key objective of Jio Bharat is to provide every Indian with access to digital services, especially those without access to smartphones, according to the company.
