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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

After being in leaks and rumours, Samsung India has finally launched its first Android Go phone in India. Based on the lighter Google Apps, the new handset Samsung Galaxy J2 Core is an entry-level handset.

Though the South Korean electronics giant has launched the handset officially in India and Malaysia, the company is yet to reveal its price. With this launch, Samsung will now compete with the recent HMD launches including Nokia 1 and Nokia 2.1. If you are unaware, Android Go is the stripped-down version of Android.

The Android Go phones are built on low storage and memory. Thus, they are made to run on the lighter versions of Google Apps including Assistant Go, Gmail Go, YouTube Go, Google Go etc. As a result, they work with optimized apps facilitating lesser data consumption.

Samsung Galaxy J2 Core Specifications:

This dual-SIM Samsung Galaxy J2 Core sports a 5-inch TFT display with 540x960 pixel resolution. Powered by a quad-core Exynos 7570 chipset, Mali-T720 MPI GPU and 1GB RAM, the handset provides an inbuilt 8GB of storage further expandable via microSD card.

On the imaging front, Samsung Galaxy J2 Core sports an 8-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front camera for selfies and video chatting. With Beauty Mode on, you can take better selfies and portraits.

The connectivity options include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, microSB and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The phone neither has any finger print sensor not Face Unlock functionality to quickly access the phone.

Though there are multi colored variants, only Gold variant with metallic finish will be up for sale. Similarly, a Samsung UI is observed on the top layer instead of stock android experience.

Backed by a 2600mAh battery, it can just serve a day with a single recharge. Anyhow, the phone is not meant to play games or watch movies as its performance is limited in terms of memory, storage and battery capacity.

Also Read: Desh Ka Smartphone Xiaomi Redmi 5A @ ₹4999, Gets Reliance Jio ₹199 Plan

Samsung Galaxy J2 Core – Should You Buy it?

Though the handset is announced for Indian and Malaysian markets, Samsung has concrete plans to expand to other markets in the near future. With the rising demand for Android Go, Samsung should take the niche seriously.

When the competitors like Xiaomi has placed its popular Redmi 5A (3GB RAM) at ₹7K price, Samsung should provide a decent specs to stay in the game. Price wise, ₹5K could be more appealing for the first-time users. Even Nokia 2.1 has got a decent Snapdragon 425 chipset to prove its supremacy.

Let’s wait and watch till Samsung India reveals its pricing strategy for its first Android Go phone.

Also Read: Motorola Launches Moto E5 Play Android Oreo Go Version

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), the only state-owned telecommunications company, launched two new unlimited packs starting ₹99. Undoubtedly, this is the smallest STV plan to offer unlimited voice call benefits to its subscribers.

The new ₹99 STV offers unlimited voice calls (both local and STD) to any network (both on-net and off-net) including the roaming calls. It is to be noted that these unlimited voice benefits are just limited to 26 days. The ₹99 STV is a PAN-India offer except for Mumbai and Delhi telecom circles.

BSNL ₹99 and ₹319 STV:

As per the reports, this plan does not offer any SMS or data benefits. Thus, it is aimed at the customers who only use their phones for voice calls. It looks like BSNL wants to give a tough fight to Reliance Jio’s ₹49 plan especially made for Jio Phone. The users who just need voice calling benefits can go with the BSNL₹99 STV plan.

Apart from the ₹99 STV, BSNL has also launched ₹319 STV that offers the same benefits with a validity of 90 days.
The ₹99 STV seems to be a good offering but suffers in two aspects. One, if the STV had offered a combo data benefit of at least 1GB, then it could be a saver. Moreover, the plan validity term of 26 days will not go with the Indian customers. When the Indian public is cursing 28-day validity, it is a suicidal thing to get 26 days validity period.

On contrary, if you observe Reliance Jio’s ₹98 plan, it offers unlimited voice calls and 2GB of data with a validity of 28 days. The BSNL should be generous in offering the data benefits. It not only attracts the new customers but also prevents the subscribers who are ready to port-out.

BSNL Data-Oriented Plans:

If you are looking for data benefits, then you can look at BSNL ₹149 plan. This special plan offers daily 300MB of data and 30 minutes of voice calls every day with a validity of 30 days.

However, if you are looking for a long-term plan, then look at ₹999 plan that offers unlimited voice calling and daily 1GB data with 365 days validity.

Also Read: BSNL ₹1595 Plan Offers Truly Unlimited Calls and Data with No FUP Limit

BSNL Withdraws 7 STV and Combo Plans:

Apart from launching the new plans, BSNL has also withdrawn several STV and combo plans to restructure its base.
The following plans are withdrawn from an immediate effect:

With additions and deletions, BSNL is surely on the way to restructure its offerings. The telecom company is confident enough to roll-out 4G across India.

Also Read: BSNL Unveils ₹7 and ₹16 Mini Packs to Offer 1GB and 2GB Data

In a bid to attract new customers, the leading telecom operator Bharti Airtel launched a new FRC 144. This plan offers decent benefits to the new customers who are willing to join the Airtel network.

As Anil Ambani-led Telecom Company Reliance Communications decided to shut down its wireless business, every incumbent operator is trying its best to lure Reliance Communications customers. Based on the data revealed by COAI, Bharti Airtel is the front-runner to add subscribers in a big number.

The company even issued front-page advertisement in all the leading newspapers welcoming the users to their fastest network without changing the numbers. Bharti Airtel is not leaving any stone by providing attractive tariff plans.

FRC 144 Unlimited On-Net Calls:

One among them is the FRC 144 plan. Regarding the plan offerings, the user gets unlimited on-net calls and 2GB of 4G data. If you look into the details, it offers unlimited Airtel to Airtel calls with a daily limit of 250 minutes and a weekly limit of 1000 minutes.

Post the limit, calls will be charged at 10 paise per minute. Regarding the data benefit, if you own a 4G handset, the FRC 144 plan offers 2GB of 4G data without any daily FUP limit. For a normal user, only 1GB of 3G/2G data is awarded. This FRC144 plan doesn’t offer any SMS benefits.

Though the FRC 144 plan is a PAN-India launch, the customers should note that the price of the plan varies from circle to circle. Surprisingly, it costs more in Kerala Telecom Circle. One has to spend an extra ₹7 making it FRC 151.

Incidentally, Bharti Airtel offers a similar plan ₹149 for existing Airtel subscribers. Under this plan, the subscriber gets unlimited calls on Airtel network and 300MB of 4G data. If you don’t own a 4G handset, then only 50MB of 3G/2G data is provided with a validity of 28 days.

FRC 349 & FRC 449 Unlimited Calls & 1GB Daily Data:

Apart from FRC 144 plan, Airtel has got several other First Recharge Plans including FRC349 and FRC449 that are known for unlimited voice call benefits. The FRC 349 and FRC 449 plans offer daily 1GB per day of 4G data with a validity of 28 days and 84 days respectively.

Needless to say, Reliance Communication’s loss is Bharti Airtel’s gain!

Also Read: Jio Effect: Airtel Offers Unlimited Calls and 1GB Data Daily at ₹399 for 70 Days

The much awaited 40th Annual General Meeting of Reliance Industries Limited became the stage for the launch of Jio4G VoLTE feature phone.

RIL Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani unveiled Jio Phone built in India. The Jio Phone is 4G enabled and interestingly it works on voice-command. Regarding tariff, voice calls are free and Jio will charge ₹153 per month.

As quoted by Mr Mukesh Ambani, the Jio 4G VoLTE feature phone will bridge the digital divide gap. When the entry-level smartphones are available at ₹4000-5000 range, the telecom arm of Reliance Jio has offered the Jio Phone at an effective price of ₹0.

Jio Phone Effective Price ₹0, How?

A 100% refundable security deposit of ₹1500 is charged for Jio 4G VoLTE feature phone. One can collect the ₹1500 security deposit after a period of 3 years.

Officially, the Jio Phone will be launched on August 15th. Furthermore, the pre-booking of the handset will start from August 24th onwards. Physically, the phone will be available only from September.

Incidentally, the Reliance Jio 4G services were commercially launched on September 5, 2016. Starting from the day of launch, Jio has added 6 lakh subscribers per day. In less than 170 days, Reliance Jio has been subscribed by more than 100 million subscribers.

Mr Mukesh Ambani says that Jio is the largest mobile video network in the world with a usage of 125 crore GB data consumption every month. Thus, India has overtaken the United States and China in mobile data consumption.

Jio Phone Specifications:

Coming back to the Reliance Jio 4G VoLTE feature phone, it has got all the important features at an affordable price. The Jio Phone users can avail the Jio Dhan Dhana Dhan offer at just ₹153 per month. This means, the feature phone users can avail all the free voice, unlimited data and SMS at just ₹153 per month.

Apart from the Jio Phone, Mr Mukesh Ambani has also launched Jio Phone Cable TV. This is priced ₹309 per month and one can connect the Jio Phone with any TV including a smart TV. More inputs can be seen on this later.

Two sachets packs namely ₹54 and ₹24 with a validity of 7 days and 2 days respectively are also launched and will join the Jio plans kitty.

Another Disruptive Strategy?

With the launch of Reliance Jio’s 4G-enabled feature phone, the Indian telecom industry will definitely witness another storm in the coming days.

Hope this new initiative will definitely help the people who have left out of digital revolution and bridge the digital divide across the country.

Also Read: Reliance Jio revises its Plans, Offers 84GB Data for ₹399 with 84 Days Validity

Re: [OnePlus 3T Comes with a Faster Processor](Better Camera & Bigger Battery)

OnePlus India has officially launched the new OnePlus 3T in India. After having launched globally a fortnight ago, the upgraded version will go on sale starting December 14th on Amazon India. The company has confirmed that OnePlus 3 will not be discontinued immediately but it will be phased out.

OnePlus 3T Specs:

Though OnePlus 3T is a minor spec update over the previous OnePlus 3 but surely it’s a good buy in the 30K range. With more powerful Snapdragon 821 processor, higher resolution 16-megapixel front facing camera and a bigger 3400mAh battery makes the handset enjoy you flagship experience at a relatively lower price. The handset has been getting good reviews from US, UK and Europe where it has replaced its old brother, the OnePlus 3.

The OnePlus 3T comes in 64GB and 128GB capacities and is priced at ₹29,999 and ₹34,999 respectively. With these high-end specs, OnePlus 3T surely competes with Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and Google Pixel XL and is quiet luring for the price. For any Android user who wants to enjoy Google’s ecosystem, the latest OnePlus 3T is the best in class.

OnePlus 3T Local Production:

Moreover, there’s has been a buzz that this super charged version of OnePlus 3 would be made in India early next quarter. The local production of OnePlus 3T can be expected from Foxconn’s Factory at Sri City in Andhra Pradesh.

The mobile wallet provider MobiKwik partnered with state-owned BSNL to pay the phone bills digitally by using its online payment platform. With the demonetisation drive, there have been long queues at banks and ATMs to exchange old notes and withdraw cash. A large number of urban populations are now turning towards digital payments for their daily expenses and the digital wallet services are en-cashing profits.

Demonetisation - A Bold Move?

MobiKwik wallet, authorized by RBI, will now cater the needs of BSNL customers to deal with currency shortage. Speaking of the demonetisation move, Mr. Bipin Preet Singh, CEO, MobiKwik said, “This is the biggest surgical strike on the menace of cash ever heard of anywhere in the world.

This is a historic policy change and will do down in democratic India’s history as more impactful than the economic reforms of the 1990s. This is a strong step taken by the Modi government and will benefit the growth of digital payments and digital banking in India. MobiKwik is excited to be a part of this historic moment."

There has been a stupendous increase in transactions in leading mobile wallet providers since the demonetisation move came into effect. As per the data provided by Google Play Store, there is a 200% increase in MobiKwik wallet App downloads and 2000% growth in money added to the wallet. It has recorded a 5 times rise in the transaction value of payments made at retail outlets and street corner stores.

Encashing the Demand:

The MobiKwik online payment platform recently declared that its customers can send and receive money instantly to any bank account via its mobile App at zero percent fees. The company has also launched a doorstep cash collection service CashPay.

The state-run telecommunications company BSNL had a customer base of 89.54 million as of September 2016. The BSNL-MobiKwik partnership will benefit the industry as the mobile transactions of telecom service providers are also on a surge.

Reliance Communications, India’s fourth-largest telecom operator, has launched Reliance Global Call (RGC) India App for international calling. After acquiring MTS India and merging wireless business with Aircel, Reliance Communications entity has got the largest consolidation in the Indian telecom industry creating the third largest mobile network service provider in India.

With RCom’s new RGC India App, the subscribers can make international voice calls starting as low as ₹1.4 per minute. To make international voice calls, the RCom subscribers can register for the Reliance Global Call service at the official website. One can even avail the service by downloading App at Android Play Store and iOS App Store. Anil Ambani-led telecom network unveiled an introductory offer under which the customers can avail talk-time worth ₹200 on sign-up with just ₹100.

International Calling at Affordable Rate:

Through Reliance Global Call India App, the subscribers can make voice calling to the United States, UK, and Canada at ₹1.4 per minute. The company has offered affordable tariff plans to other regions such as the UAE, Africa, and Latin American countries. As per the latest estimates, Reliance Global Call India App serves more than 25 lakh subscribers seamlessly on a global network of fiber-optic and satellite connectivity, connected with operators worldwide.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Gurdeep Singh, Co-CEO, Reliance Communications said, “This innovative new app has the potential to trigger a paradigm shift in international calling patterns. The service enables customers on any telecom network in India to have seamless, instant and convenient access to their loved ones around the globe.”

RCom’s new service is available to all mobile and wireline users including pre-paid and postpaid customers of Aircel, Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular, MTS, Reliance Communications, Tata Teleservices, and Vodafone India. It has got another flexibility of setting up a family account under which there could be a maximum of 4 users. This innovative app enables the subscribers to directly dial the international contacts without filling the details of PIN or toll-free number.

Tata Teleservices Ltd, a Mumbai-headquartered telecommunications service provider, has migrated its telecom businesses to new Unified Licence in three circles. In a letter to two main stock exchanges for equity trading in India, Tata Teleservices has disclosed that it has migrated to three telecom circles including Mumbai, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

A Letter to Stock Exchange:

In BSE and NSE filing, the telecom operator said, “As per the guidelines announced by the Department of Telecommunications, the UAS licensing regime has been replaced with an umbrella licence called Unified Licence. In view of the above, the company had applied for migration of its UAS licences in Mumbai and Maharashtra for ISP licence to Unified Licence (UL).”

It is to be noted that two Unified Access Service licences (UAS) for Mumbai and Maharashtra service area are expiring in September 2017. Even the Andhra Pradesh operations have been migrated to Unified License. There is no change in the validity of spectrum currently held by Tata Teleservices Ltd as the spectrum has been delinked from Unified Licence. Moreover, the Unified Licence is valid for 20 years effective November 2nd, 2016.

Tata Teleservices - A Key Driver of the Telecom Revolution:

Tata Teleservices Limited has been a key driver of the telecom revolution in India. Currently, Tata Teleservices provides mobile services under the brand names of Tata DoCoMo and T24 Mobile to consumers across the country. It is the first private telecom operator to announce the launch of 3G services in India in November 2010. In the recently held auction, the company has got hold of spectrum for ₹ 4,619.2 crores for continual of operations in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Mumbai.

The Government has given a clean chit to Reliance Jio’s free voice call offers. Responding to a query, Telecom Minister Mr. Manoj Sinha said that Mukesh Abmani-owned mobile phone operator did not violate any of the rules by offering voice services free of charge.

The incumbent telecom service providers (Airtel, Vodafone India, Idea and Telenor) petitioned the Ministry and TRAI that Reliance Jio was violating the Telecom Tariff Order (TTO) of 2004 by offering services below the minimum interconnect rates of 14 paise a minute. The telcos had argued that the Reliance Jio plans were not Interconnection Usage Charge (IUC) compliant.

A Clean Chit for Reliance Jio:

Replying to a question in Parliament on day 1 of the Winter Session by Odisha MP Tathagata Satpathy, the Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha said, “Since the guidelines/NIA for allocation or auction of spectrum do not prescribe the rates at which services are to be provided to customers, the question of violation of guidelines for spectrum allocation does not arise.”

The Ministry further added that the present tariff regime was based in the principles of forbearance. This allows great flexibility to market players to enable them to decide various tariff plans or products for different services. Tariffs can therefore be offered by telcos to counter the competitive tariffs of their competitors or any other prevailing market conditions.

Reliance Jio a Game-changer:

The Government held that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) keeps a close watch on the telecom tariffs being offered in the market and intervenes, if required, to ensure that the regulatory guidelines are met. Incidentally, TRAI has also given clean chit that Reliance Jio has not violated any orders and the tariff plans cannot be considered as IUC non-complaint and discriminatory.

With both the government and TRAI giving a clean chit to the telecom arm of Reliance Industries Ltd, it is evident that the free voice calls across India announced by Reliance Jio will be a game changer for the Indian telecom industry.

Vodafone India, the second largest mobile network operator in India, rolls out 4G services in Kharagpur on the efficient 1800MHz spectrum band. Starting from Siliguri in September, the telecom major has now expanded its 4G footprint to 13 towns in West Bengal.

Incidentally, Kharagpur is multi-cultural and cosmopolitan city. Known for the first of the IITs to be established, it is recognized as an Institute of National Importance by the Government of India. Due to its proximity to Kolkata, many large industrial setups are located in and around Kharagpur.

Strategic Expansion:

Vodafone India is strategically expanding its 4G services in India’s fourth-most populous state. Apart from Siliguri and Kharagpur, Vodafone 4G SuperNet services are now available at the key towns and cities including Asansol, Bardhaman, Bashirhat, Behrampur, Bolpur, Darjeeling, Durgapur, Gangtok, Krishnagar, Midnapore and Nabadwip.

10GB of Vodafone 4G Data at ₹251:

As an introductory offer, Vodafone India has announced that its subscribers purchasing new 4G handsets can avail 10GB of 4G data at just ₹251.

OnePlus, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer known for its high-end quality and “Never Settle” for the lower quality devices by other companies has killed its flagship smartphone by launching an upgraded version called “The OnePlus 3T”.

Cannibalise or Murdered?

Within just 5 months of the release, OnePlus has controversially announced the OnePlus 3T with an impressive set of specs to the already well-received phone. OnePlus 3T has got some really solid hardware upgrade and will be favorite among Android enthusiasts as it provides great value relative to other smartphones in the market.

OnlePlus 3T looks similar to the prior model but it comes with a faster processor, better camera, and bigger battery. The handset will be available in the United States from November 22nd and in the European Union regions from November 28th. The OnePlus 3T will be out in “Gun Metal” and “Soft Gold” color options starting at $439 (64GB storage version, roughly at ₹30K) and $479 (128GB storage variant, roughly at ₹32.5K).

OnePlus 3T Specifications

There’s no change in the external design of the OnePlus 3T boasting full-metal unibody and a fingerprint sensor to unlock within 0.2 seconds. The phone features a 5.5-inch full HD AMOLED display with a 1920x1080 pixels resolution with curved 2.5D Corning Gorilla glass 4. It is powered by a faster Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 821 SoC complemented by 6GB RAM and 64GB/128GB internal memory which is non-expandable.

OnePlus 3T has a 16-megapixel primary camera with “Intelligent Pixel Technology” to reduce noise in low light. There is a bigger change in the front camera. OnePlus has doubled the resolution from 8-megapixel to 16-megapixel for the selfie-obsessed. Finally, the last improvement in the spec is a welcome 13% increase in the battery with a 3400mAh capacity to close on rivals like Google Pixel XL 3450mAh.

The latest handset supports fast charging technology (5V 4A) capable of charging the handset to up to 60% in just 30 minutes. Despite some rumors, OnePlus 3T still runs on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow-based OxygenOS out-of-the-box but will receive Android 7.0 Nougat update.

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Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, the only 100% VoLTE operator in the country, is preparing to roll out VoLTE feature phones for as low as ₹1,000. As per The Economic Times, the VoLTE feature phones would be bundled with unlimited free voice calling apart from the digital content that Jio provides.

By launching affordable 4G capability phones, Mukesh Ambani-owned Company would garner millions of users to its telecom venture. This movie would definitely win over customers from the rural and tier-3 markets who use phones mainly to make voice calls.

Reliance Jio Sees Huge Potential:

According to a recent study, more than 1 billion mobile phone subscribers are still using 2G feature phones in India. This is a huge market and Reliance Jio wants to tap all the segments across the country. As of now, the cheapest 4G smartphone costs about ₹3,000. And if Reliance Jio develops VoLTE feature phones under ₹1,000, the company can up its user base in an exponential way. Adding the new devices will be aimed at first-time data users as Reliance Jio sees a huge potential in the rural areas.

As Reliance Jio has added over 25 million subscribers since commercially launching its services on September 5, 2016 and is targeting 100 million in the shortest time, tapping customers who use feature phones is essential. The industry experts welcome this plan as VoLTE is now offered only on smartphones.

Jio Lava-Make Feature Phones:

If the insider reports are the believed, the LTE mobile network operator Reliance Jio Infocomm is developing two feature phones priced at about ₹1,000 and ₹1,500 that could be launched during January-March. The telecom venture of cash-rich Reliance Industries is already working with domestic mobile handset company maker Lava International and Chinese original equipment makers to make up these VoLTE feature phones at about $15.

The handsets are primarily meant to make voice calls and access internet. It will have a keypad, Spreadtrum chipset, front and rear camera and powered by Android operating system. The only thing missing will be the touch screen but will be equipped with Jio’s content applications.

By providing the cheapest VoLTE feature phone at less than ₹1,000, one could expect a faster adoption as the target audience in that segment will prefer bundled free voice calling. Truly, this could be a big game changer for Indian telecom industry.