The state-run telecom operator BSNL is known for launching special STV’s on festivals and important days. Continuing its tradition, the BSNL launched a new combo STV 269 for its esteemed prepaid subscribers.

To mark the 70th Republic Day, the Government-owned telecom company has got a combo STV ₹269 that packs a talk time of 2600 minutes, 260 SMS, and 2.6GB data with a validity of 26 days.

As per the reports, the newly launched STV 269 has got a PAN India approval and will be available during 26th – 31st January. Though the plan is nothing great in terms of the offer but one can surely take advantage of it.

Taking a cue of Corporate Social Responsibility on this National Voter’s Day, the BSNL has urged the young voters to take part in the electoral process.

Back to business, the BSNL has recently enhanced the customer experience by launching many customer-centric schemes that made the private operators follow it. One of them is the announcement of no more blackout days. The new year 2019 allows the BSNL subscribers to use voice and data seamlessly without any blackout day restrictions.

Unveiling of BharatFibre:

The latest telecom news to hit the industry is the launch of BharatFibre brand. This is touted to be the next generation FTTH broadband connection. On 19th January 2019, the BSNL unveiled the BharatFibre FTTH brand at Chandigarh.

Similarly, the BSBL became the first Telecom Service Provider to introduce data connectivity through SMS. Through an agreement with Be Bound Tech (a French company), the BSNL will keep Android apps get connected even when there’s no internet. Utilization of Apps without any break is ensured by this feature.

Till date, mobile users send messages from their main account. The new feature enables the user to send the same messages with the help of data. However, the benefit is limited to 100 SMS per day. Definitely, this is a BIG number for users unless it is used for commercial purpose.

What’s Your Opinion?

Hope the new plans and features unveiled by BSNL maximize the customer experience and makes the telco a front runner is bridging the digital India gap.

Also Read: AP BSNL Launches ₹899 Prepaid Plan with 1.5GB Daily Data in 180 Days

The state-run telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has added another long validity plan to its prepaid portfolio. The new ₹899 BSNL plan offers a whopping 270GB of high-speed data with a validity period of 180 days.

As per the reports, the new ₹899 BSNL plan offers combo benefits (unlimited voice calling and daily 1.5GB data). Surprisingly, the telecom operator is offering only 50 SMS per day. Though the rest of telecom operators are offering unlimited or daily 100 SMS, BSNL is struck with 50 SMS benefit per day.

The above-unlimited benefits can be carried out to any telecom circle except Delhi and Mumbai where another state-run telecom operator is in the business. Thus, one can use these benefits across India except in Mumbai and Delhi Telecom circles where the standard tariff would apply.

Interestingly, the BSNL has another 180-day validity plan in its portfolio. To be precise, the older plan is of 181 days validity where one can enjoy unlimited voice calls, daily 1.5GB data, and 100 SMS benefit per day. This ₹999 plan is a PAN-India plan where one can enjoy the benefits even in Mumbai and Delhi Telecom circles.

**What’s Your Opinion? **

Though there are many half-yearly plans in the market, BSNL offers the most affordable one. The Industry’s new entrant Reliance Jio has got ₹1999 plan but offers only 125GB data. In contrast, the BSNL offers 270GB data at just ₹899. Truly incredible! However, this plan is just limited to AP and Telangana BSNL Telecom Circle. Hope the BSNL makes it a PAN-India plan.

Also Read: BSNL Revises Combo STV Recharges to Offer Additional Talktime

Bharti Airtel has become the first telecom operator to launch 4G services in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The 4G launch will help the uncontacted people to digitally connect with the mainland.

Till date, the group of islands at the juncture of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea have limited internet connectivity. With Bharti Airtel’s focus on boosting the internet infrastructure through Project Leap programme, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands will now be the part of the digital revolution.

The Sunil Mittal-led telecom company has disclosed that Airtel 4G services will be initially available in the administrative capital city Port Blair. Later on, the 4G services will be extended to other parts of the two Island groups.

As a launch offer, Bharti Airtel has asked its subscribers to upgrade and get a 4G enabled SIM from nearest Airtel store for free. One can opt prepaid and postpaid plans that are available in other telecom circles. Depending upon the eligibility, one can even enjoy bundled digital content from Amazon Prime, Netflix and Zee5 for free.

With Airtel 4G one can enjoy high-speed internet in mobiles, 4G dongles and hotspots. Just upgrade with Airtel 4G. This strategic decision will not only help the thousands of tourists but also 4 lakh native residents on Airtel’s FDD 4G network.

What’s Your Opinion?

Undoubtedly, this is a landmark occasion that will contribute to the growth of telecom connectivity in India. Till now, the Andaman Archipelago is just connected with the older 3G infrastructure of BSNL, Vodafone, and Bharti Airtel. Though the telecom companies claim it as a 3G revolution the internet speed is just limited to 2G.

Leaving the capital Port Blair, none of the tourist attractions including the famous Radha Nagar beach, Havelock and Ross Islands has limited and unreliable internet access. All the connectivity to the outside world happens through satellite links.

The country’s PAN-India 4G network provider Reliance Jio couldn’t establish its presence in Andaman due to DoT’s regulations that telecom operator should first install 2G infrastructure. Hope the Airtel’s LTE network will bring a new change in the lives of this remote island.

Also Read: Airtel VoLTE Now Live Across India Except J&K, Supports 198 Smartphones

The Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi has launched its first smartphone with a 48-megapixel rear camera. Surprisingly, this eye-catching spec will be a part of Redmi Note 7.

With 48-megapixel rear sensor and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 660 processor, Redmi Note 7 made the launch event a power packed one. Undoubtedly, this entry-level Redmi Brand will hit the headlines and surprise the geeks as it is the first handset to have Snapdragon 660 SoC under 1000 Yuan in the Chinese territory.

Under the new leadership of Mr William Lu (former Gionee employee) as the Vice President of the new sub-brand Redmi (as an independent brand), the event marked the launch of Redmi Note 7. The new Redmi brand will focus on budget handsets that take e-commerce route leaving Xiaomi with high-end products.

Also Read: Xiaomi Mi A2 Launched at ₹16999, 6GB RAM Will Come Later

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Specs:

The new handset will be the successor to the popular budget king Redmi Note 5 (Don’t know why Redmi Note 6 was skipped).

Regarding specifications, the Redmi Note 7 has a 6.3-inch 19.5:9 Full HD screen (1080p) with a 2.5D curved glass at the back. Under the hood, it has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor coupled with up to 4GB RAM. It has an inbuilt storage space starting from 32GB and can be expanded via a microSD card.

Design wise, there seems to be a lot of similarities with the recently launched Xiaomi Mi Play. However, the smaller notch and back panel with colourful gradients make it a stylish design. It now brings a new logo stating “Redmi by Xiaomi”.

As reported earlier, the Redmi Note 7 has a competent Sony IMX586 48-megapixel f/1.8 sensor supported by a 5-megapixel lens for depth information. It also has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. On the front side, Redmi Note 7 has got a 13-megapixel camera with Artificial Intelligence features including AI portrait mode, AI scene detection, AI Beauty Mode etc.

Surprisingly, the Redmi retained the USB-C charging and headphone jack. With 4000mAh battery, the Redmi Note 7 will certainly last a complete day. Moreover, this dual 4G VoLTE handset has got Qualcomm Quick Charge 4.0 fast charge support.

The other USP of the Redmi Note 7 is it boots the latest Android 9 Pie out-of-the-box. The company has unveiled 3 variants namely 3GB RAM/32 GB ROM, 4GB RAM/64GB ROM and 6GB RAM/64GB ROM. And they are priced economically at Yuan 999, Yuan 1199 and Yuan 1399 respectively.

What’s Your Opinion?

Regarding availability, the newly launched Redmi Note 7 will be limited to China first. The sale would commence after the Chinese New Year (in February). The Indian Redmi lovers need to wait a month or more to get the stocks in their hand. Moreover, Redmi would slightly hike the price (in ₹15K range) in its non-Chinese territories.

Also Read: Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 with Snapdragon 660 SoC & Gorilla Glass 6

Amazon India launched Fire TV Stick 4K with Alexa Voice remote at a price of ₹5,999. This dongle-sized device gives you access to stream content with 4K ultra HD, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and HDR 10+ titles.

Using the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, you can watch streaming movies, TV shows, and songs from Amazon Prime Video and other streaming services such as Hotstar, Netflix, Gaana, Hungama, ErosNow, voot, NDTV, Sony Liv, ZEE 5, Spuul etc.

In the US and Canada, the new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is up for pre-orders and the delivery would start from October 31st.

The Indian consumers along with UK and Germany need to wait till November 14th. The pre-order date for Japan is not fixed either. Going through the reports, shipping for Japanese users would take place sometime by the end of 2018.

Alexa Voice Remote:

Incidentally, if you are only looking for the Alexa Voice Remote (2nd Gen) then just pay ₹1,999. This Alexa Voice Remote can be used along with the earlier version of Amazon Fire TV Stick.

As a bundled package, you can order Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K with Alexa Voice Remote at a price of ₹5,999. The earlier version of streaming media player Amazon Fire TV Stick with Voice Remote is still up for sale on Amazon India website at a price tag of ₹3,999.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Specifications:

Coming to the new updated streaming media player, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is powered by a quad-core processor clocked at 1.7GHz and IMG GE8300 GPU. It has an inbuilt storage capacity of 8GB. The company boasts that the new streaming media player is 80% more powerful than its antecedent and equipped with Dolby Atmos support. With the new dual-antenna (MIMO) system, you can even have a faster 802.11ac wireless connection.

Moreover, the 4K+ Ultra HD playback, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and HDR10+ makes the new device a good buy. Combined connectivity of Bluetooth 5.0 and multidirectional InfraRed makes the new Fire TV Stick 4K works effortlessly with your 4K TV. Just ask (using your voice) Alexa to find, launch, and control all your favourite entertainment with Alexa voice remote.

As usual, you’ll get free cloud storage for digital content purchased from Amazon. Incidentally, the set-up procedure is simple. Just plug the new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K into the HDMI port of your HD TV. Next, plug the charger into a wall socket. Finally, connect to Wi-Fi and enjoy your favourite entertainment in 4K. All you need is an HD TV with HDMI input and high-speed internet with Wi-Fi.

What’s Your Opinion?

Though the 4K content is still at a starting stage, Amazon has been making full efforts to provide Prime Video content on 4K. Moreover, the 4K TV’s are now available at an affordable price tag, hope the new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K will find a better reception.

Also Read: Airtel Launches Android STB at 8K for 1 Year Subscription

HMD Global, the Finnish mobile phone company, launched the budget mid-range Nokia 5.1 Plus handset in India. Though it was unveiled a month ago alongside the Nokia 6.1 Plus, the company officially announced that the sale of the new handset would begin on October 1st.

By pricing the handset at ₹10,999, HMD Global has signalled that it would be more aggressive in the sub-continent. Now, the Nokia 5.1 Plus smartphone will directly compete against the two most-popular handsets Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro and OPPO Realme 2.

Nokia 5.1 Plus Specifications:

Except for a few changes here and there, the new Nokia 5.1 Plus looks very much similar to Nokia 6.1 Plus. The handset has got a premium design with glass back panel. It is marginally taller with 5.86-inch HD+ IPS LCD display with 19:9 aspect ratio and 2.5D curved glass. Though the screen resolution is kept on a lower side (1520x720 p), it has a notch on the top.

Powered by the proven MediaTek Helio P60 chipset and 3GB RAM, it has a 32GB inbuilt storage and a microSD card support (up to 400GB). The Helio P60 is just as capable as Snapdragon 636 chipset and thus HMD Global pushes it as a gaming phone.

On the camera front, the Nokia 5.1 Plus sports a dual camera setup with 13-megapixel ƒ/2.0 primary camera and 5-megapixel depth sensor that boasts to work on AI. For selfies and videos, it sports a ƒ/2.2 8-megapixel front camera.

Following the Android One concept, the Nokia 5.1 Plus boots Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box. And one can expect Android Pie update in the coming months. Moreover, it offers a 409MB day-one software update that offers stability improvements.

Though the handset is backed by a modest 3060mAh battery, Nokia 5.1 Plus will easily last an entire day due to its highly efficient MediaTek Helio P60 chipset. And it is equipped with fast charging support too. Connectivity wise, the handset offers dual 4G VoLTE support but a hybrid card slot with a USB type-C port on the bottom.

Nokia 5.1 Plus - Airtel Additional Data Offer:

Starting October 1st, the Nokia 5.1 Plus handset is open for sale through Flipkart and Nokia India website. As disclosed earlier, it will retail for ₹10,999 in Gloss Black, Gloss White and Midnight Gloss Blue colour options. As a launch offer, Bharti Airtel subscribers will get an instant ₹1800 cashback and additional 240GB 4G data spread over 12 months. This offer is applicable only on the recharges of ₹199, ₹249 and ₹448 STV’s.

What’s Your Opinion?:

Looking for stock Android experience around 10K, then Nokia 5.1 Plus is a robust smartphone. For the price and HMD’s track record with respect to updates, it can definitely hit the online sales of Xiaomi, Honor and OPPO in this segment. Looking for your thoughts on HMD’s latest Nokia 5.1 Plus smartphone.

Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi Y2 with 16MP AI Selfie Camera Price Starts at ₹9999

Though Bharti Airtel has lost its number one position to Vodafone Idea Limited, the telecom company is still leaving no stone to grab customers. Now, it has announced ₹168 prepaid recharge that offers daily 1GB data and Hello Tunes subscription for a period of 28 days.

Bharti Airtel ₹168 Plan with Daily 1GB Data:

As per the new offer, the Bharti Airtel subscriber will get unlimited (local, STD and national roaming) voice calls without any FUP limits in its 28-day validity period. Apart from this calling, the user will get daily 1GB and daily 100 SMS and Hello Tune subscription.

With this prepaid recharge, Bharti Airtel will offer a massive 28GB 4G/G/2G data and 2800 SMS offerings apart from Hello Tunes subscription. Though the Vodafone India has ₹159 plan in its kitty, Bharti Airtel’s ₹168is far ahead.
If you consider the latest ₹159 Vodafone India plan, it has a FUP of daily 250 minutes and 1000 minutes per week. The unlimited calling and SMS benefits are one and the same. However, it should be noted that Bharti Airtel’s ₹168 is not an open market plan.

Also Read: Bharti Airtel ₹558 Recharge Offers Daily 3GB Data for 82 Days

Currently, Bharti Airtel’s ₹168 plan is a segmented one. That means only specific customers in specific areas can use this recharge offer. Recently, the company has got ₹97, ₹289 and ₹419 recharge plans that are part of the open market. With this ₹168 prepaid plan, Bharti Airtel went back to its old days that are not an acceptable thing from a reputed player.

If the news reports are to be believed, the ₹168 plan is available in two Telecom circles namely Delhi and Andhra Pradesh & Telangana circles.

Bharti Airtel ₹97 Combo Recharge:

If you are looking for a combo recharge plan under ₹100, then Bharti Airtel has got a special ₹97 recharge for you. Using this recharge, the user can get combo benefits including 1.5GB of 4G data and 350 minutes of voice calling. The validity of the recharge plan is 28 days.

Though the company has introduced this combo plan to take on Reliance Jio’s 98 prepaid plan, it has got severe shortcoming in the form of limited calling benefits. If you consider Reliance Jio ₹98 plan, then it offers unlimited calling, 2GB 4GB data and 300 SMS with 28 days validity period. If you don’t happen to compare then the ₹97 is a good recharge offer meant for luring the new customers.

Bharti Airtel 5 FRC’s Explained:

Apart from the regular recharge plans, Bharti Airtel has also launched 5 First Recharge (FRC) plans that offer combo benefits including data, voice calling and SMS benefits. As per the MyAirtel app, there are 5 FRC plans starting from FRC 178 to FRC 559. The details of these FRC plans are as follows:

Starting 16 September 2018, the state-run telecom operator will provide an additional 2.2GB data on 10 prepaid plans. The promotional offer is titled as BSNL Bumper Offer. Keeping an eye on the coming festival season, the BSNL will offer this additional benefit.

Free 132GB Data for 60 Days:

As per the BSNL Bumper Offer, the extra 2.2GB data is applicable on 10 Unlimited STVs including ₹187, ₹333, ₹349, ₹444 and ₹448. Apart from these STVs, the unlimited plan vouchers namely ₹186, ₹429, ₹485, ₹666, and ₹999 will also offer an additional 2.2GB data. With this benefit, the BSNL user can enjoy a total of 132GB of additional data for 60 days at no extra cost.

This is to inform that the above-mentioned unlimited plan vouchers offer unlimited voice calling benefits without any FUP limits. However, these tariff plans are not applicable in Mumbai and Delhi telecom circles.

Till now, the 186 prepaid plan offers 1GB data per day for 28 days period. With the new BSNL Bumper Offer, the user will get 3.2GB data per day for 28 days without any extra payment. Moreover, it should be noted that this offer is meant only for the new users.

The promotional BSNL Bumper Offer will run for another 60 days and is applicable PAN India. Speaking on this ocMrion, Mr. Anupam Shrivastava, CMD BSNL said that the company will offer attractive plans from time to time so that it benefits the esteemed customers.

Also Read: BSNL Launches ₹99 Unlimited Plan with 26 Days Validity

BSNL Bumper Offer Extra 2.2GB Data Per Day:

Similarly, the BSNL Bumper Offer will provide an extra 2.2GB data on the existing Unlimited STVs. If you happen to consider, the unlimited STV 187 that offers 1GB data per day will now provide 3.2GB data per day for 28 days period. The subscribers should note that there is no change with respect to the validity of the voucher or plan.

Incidentally, the current Extra Data Offer of BSNL will end today i.e 15th September 15, 2018 and the new BSNL Bumper Offer will kickstart on 16th September.

If you happen to follow the recent Jio Monsoon Offer, it is simply an extension of Jio Double Dhamaka Offer. It seems the state-run BSNL is following the footprints of Reliance Jio in awarding the additional benefits.

BSNL BB 777 and 1277 Plans:

The popular BSNL Fibro Combo ULD 777 and 1277 plans are now open market broadband plans. Till now, the state-run telecom operator dubbed the BB 777 and BB 1277 as the promotional plans. However, owing to the stupendous popularity, BSNL has made them as the regular plans.

The BSNL Fibro Combo ULD 777 offers a 500GB of data with a speed limit of 50 Mbps. Post the FUP limit, the subscribers can access 2 Mbps speed. Apart from the 500 GB data, the BSNL user can enjoy unlimited voice calls across the nation. Apart from this, the users get a free email ID along with 1GB of storage space.

Similarly, the BSNL Fibro Combo ULD 1277 offers 750GB data at an incredible 100 Mbps speed. Post the FUP limit, the user will get 2 Mbps speed. Both the offers are PAN India leaving Andaman & Nicobar Telecom circle. Interestingly, the BSNL is not collecting 500 security deposit in some telecom circles. Hope the users will take advantage of these highly popular open market plans.

Also Read: Mukesh Ambani Launches JioPhone 2 and JioGigaFiber in 1100 Cities

Realme, a sub-OPPO Electronics Corporation, has boasted on Twitter that it sold 2 lakh units of Realme 2 in 5 minutes. For the unaware, Realme conducted the first flash sale of the new handset Realme 2 on 4th September.

Within 5 minutes of the sale, Realme 2 went out of stock on Flipkart. Claimed to be a market disruptor, OPPO Realme 2 announced its first flash sale at a price of ₹8990. Making the deal sweeter, Flipkart announced a flat ₹750 off on HDFC credit and debit cards. Thus, the effective price of Realme 2 turned out to be ₹8,240.

The affordable effective tag of ₹8,240 for 3/32 GB variant might have made wonders for Realme 2. However, the next sale at 12 pm, September 11th would attract no such cashback and is priced at ₹8,990 for 3/32 GB and ₹10,990 for 4/64 GB variant.

Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi 5 Launched: Should You Upgrade?

Realme 2 Specifications:

Realme 2 is an online exclusive handset for the Indian market. Regarding specifications, Realme 2 sports a 6.2-inch 19:9 notched display with 1520x720 pixel resolution. It has a fingerprint scanner and a dual camera set up at the back.
Though mounted on a plastic polycarbonate body frame, the handset is strong and sturdy. Probably, Realme 2 is the first smartphone to offer a notch at just 9K. However, the display looks compromised with HD+ look whereas its predecessor has a full HD screen.

Powered by a 14nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 SoC and Adreno 506 GPU, the Realme 2 handset comes in two variants 3GB RAM/32 GB ROM and 4 GB RAM/64GB ROM. Though Snapdragon 450 SoC is a good budget handset, it’s not an upgrade over Realme 1’s MediaTek Helio P60 chipset. Leaving it aside, the new handset has a dedicated microSD card slot for expanding your inbuilt storage space up to 256GB.

Average Camera with Massive Battery:

Optics wise, the Realme 2 has a dual camera set up at the back with a 13-megapixel sensor coupled with a 2-megapixel camera unit for depth effect. Though the colour reproduction is average, the bokeh effect is good enough in outdoor lighting conditions. For selfies, you’ll have an 8-megapixel camera unit with a f/2.2 aperture.

The handset boots Android 8.1 Oreo-based ColorOS 5.1 on its top. Backed by a powerful 4,230mAh battery and 10W charger, the handset gets fully charged in 3 hours and lasts a day and a half. You can watch up to 4 movies in a stretch on Amazon Prime or Netflix.

What’s the Verdict?

Though Realme 2 has got decent specs including dual 4G SIM (triple slot) and notch display, it can’t be a worthy successor to Realme 1. However, for the given price, Realme 2 is a decent buy. But if you looking for the best bet under 10K, then Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro, Xiaomi Redmi Note 5, Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 and Honor 9 Lite are better.

Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro with 19:9 Display, AI Dual Rear Cameras Launched