Posts made by Vikas Jadhav

Samsung Electronics has expanded the Galaxy S20 Series by launching S20 FE. FE stands for Fan Edition. The South Korean electronics added both 4G and 5G variants to this new model.

The Galaxy S20 FE promo video has been going viral starting its launch. Though it’s a small video, the tech giant has got members of BTS and British actress Millie Bobby Brown.

Youtube Video

Endorsed by BTS K-pop band & Millie Bobby Brown:

If you are a serious follower of Netflix’s science fiction horror series Stranger Things, then you could easily recognize Brown. Similarly, one could spot the Bangtan Boys BTS K-pop band.

Generally, K-pop band stars endorse iPhones for the bling factor like all the other stars worldwide. The new endorsement could definitely tilt the audience preference towards Samsung.

Regarding the new Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition smartphone, it’s a remix of the S20 spec sheet with an affordable price tag. Truly, an abode of flagship specs to counter the Chinese OnePlus 8T.

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE Specifications:

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE will be a global smartphone as it has got both 4G and 5G support. The core difference is the inclusion of Exynos 990 (7 nm+) in 4G and Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset (7 nm+) in 5G units respectively.

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE sports a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with 1080p+ panel (407 ppi density) and runs fluid 120Hz refresh rate. Powered by Snapdragon 865 SoC and 6GB RAM, it has 128GB inbuilt space that can be further expanded up to 1TB.

Got Wireless Charging & Reverse Charging Support:

Backed by a 4500mAh battery and 15W fast charging (wireless charging and reverse wireless charging support as well), the handset boots One UI 2.5 (Android 10).

On the optics side, it has got triple-camera-setup (12mp wide + 8mp telephoto + 12mp ultrawide) on the back and 32mp front camera. Responsive optical in-display fingerprint scanner for security.

To keep pricing under control, Samsung went with a plastic body build but still, it gets IP68 certification. Following a new trend, Samsung Galaxy S20 FE gets cloud rainbow colours.

Galaxy S20 FE 5G Ready:

As discussed earlier, it has got both 4G and 5G variants supporting sub-6 networks as well. Starting October 12th, the affordable flagship device Samsung Galaxy S20 FE will be available in the US for $699.

By going through the response, Samsung plans to bring next FE iterations in the high midrange category.

Let’s wait and watch whether Samsung will give a counter to OnePlus 8T (at least in India) with much affordable price tag.

Do you agree with my opinion? Share your thoughts.

Also Read: Apple India Online Store is Open (with Apple Trade In Option)

One might be aware of how Reliance Jio transformed the telecom sector in our country. If you consider the launch of Jio on 5th September 2016, then one can say that the Mukesh Ambani-owned company created a remarkable effect of the digital revolution in India.

The introduction of 4G services by Reliance Jio brought down the pricing of data and subsequently 4G handsets got wider acceptance.

However, the launch of JioFiber on 5th September 2019 couldn’t recreate the magic. Though it brought 100Mbps high-speed broadband as the minimum speed, JioFiber didn’t live up to its expectations due to its non-aggressive pricing strategy.

This lower penetration of JioFiber is mainly attributed to the fact that India is a price-conscious market. But the latest announcement of JioFiber where the pricing starts at ₹399 could really storm the market.

JioFiber Unconditional 30-Day Free Trial:

The USP of the new announcement is a 30-day free trial for all new users. The fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband will now come with a 30-day free trial. Officially, the Reliance Jio has termed it as “Naye India Ka Naya Josh”.

Under this offering, JioFiber FTTH broadband plans will start at just ₹399 per month with unlimited data, symmetric internet speed and unlimited free voice call anywhere in India.

With this, JioFiber has launched 4 new plans namely ₹399 plan, ₹600 plan, ₹999 plan and ₹1499 plan offering a speed of 30 Mbps, 100 Mbps, 150 Mbps and 300 Mbps respectively.

As said earlier, the latest announcement says that these plans provide a truly unlimited internet and symmetric internet speed. That means you will get the same upload and download internet speed. Generally, we do observe higher download speed and lower upload speed.

But this could be a game-changer.

Free Subscription to 10 Paid OTT Apps:

The JioFiber ₹999 and ₹1499 plans that offer 150 Mbps and 300 Mbps internet speed respectively will give free access to 11 paid OTT apps.

That means JioFiber connectivity will enable free OTT app subscription including Disney Hotstar, Zee5, Sony Liv, Voot, Sun Nxt etc.

Starting September 1st, all the new customers of Jio Fiber will now get a free 30-day trial to try 150 Mbps internet and 4K Set Top Box (STB) with a subscription to 10 paid OTT Apps.

It’s been said that existing JioFiber customers will also be rewarded with upgraded plans as a voucher in MyJio app.

In a separate statement, the Jio Director, Mr Akash Ambani said that JioFiber will provide broadband services to 1600 cities and towns across India. This JioFiber Free 30-Day Trial is purely unconditional.

The company says, “If you don’t like it, we take it back. No questions asked”.

Summarizing, the JioFiber 30-Day Free Trial:

• 150 Mbps truly unlimited internet (No FUP limit)
• Symmetric internet speed (same upload and download speeds)
• 4K Set Top Box
• Free Voice calling
• No questions asked trial
• ₹2500 - One-time refundable amount
• Exclusive to the new customers

Truly Unlimited ₹399 Plan:

The new addition of JioFiber ₹399 plan has surprised the telecom analysts. Till now, Jio maintained that its minimum speed is 100 Mbps. But with ₹399 plan, the Jio has to curtail its minimum speed to 30 Mbps.

The user will get 30Mbps truly unlimited internet with unlimited voice calls at just ₹399. There’s a catch here. The user will not get free access to OTT app subscription.

Interestingly, the ISPs like ACT Fibernet do provide 30 Mbps broadband plan at ₹500 with a monthly data FUP of 500GB. Post FUP, the speed will be decreased to 512 Kbps.

Similarly, the state-owned telecom company BSNL has also got a 30 Mbps plan at ₹430. The FUP limit is 150GB. Beyond FUP, the speed will fall down to 2 Mbps. Here, the user will get unlimited calls to any network.

What’s Your Opinion?

By comparing it with the established players (like Airtel Xstream, ACT, Tata Sky, BSNL), JioFiber has the advantage of claiming itself as truly unlimited internet.

Let’s wait and watch how the customers will react to the new ₹399 plan offered by JioFiber. Do you think that they will get attracted to the marketing promotions of Jio and switch their loyalty to the new JioFiber?

Also Read: Jio - India’s Largest Telecom Operator

In a new development, the Union Telecom Minister Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad has unveiled the Next Generation Network Telephone Exchange in Bihar.

Upgrading the infrastructure, the BSNL has come up with the Next Generation Network (NGN) Telephone Exchange replacing its existing Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The Minister of Communications and Electronics, IT and Law & Justice, Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad has inaugurated the new facility through video conferencing from New Delhi.

Next-generation Network Connecting Remote Areas:

This next-generation network (NGN) will provide reliable wireline and broadband services through an optical fiber. This is a packet-based network commonly built around the Internet Protocol.

The Bharat AirFibre works on the unlicensed spectrum. It is easy to deploy and requires less maintenance while providing wireless technology to the non-feasible areas including remote villages and difficult terrains.

Bharat AirFibre in Bihar:

Inaugurating the new facility at Bihar Vidhan Mandal, Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad also commissioned Bharat AirFibre. This will facilitate completely wireless connectivity to the rural areas in Bihar.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad said that Bharat AirFibre will help us to scale-up faster and meet the target of covering 6 lakh villages in 1000 days.

He also added that this will play a crucial role in the times of COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the Union Telecom Minister also announced that 50 more Bharat AirFibre sector antennas will be deployed exclusively in Bihar within the next 6 months.

The Danapur Telephone Exchange in Bihar will now get Bharat AirFibre service. As a result, the adjoining 6 km area covering RK Puram, Anandpur, Danapur Market and Danapur Cantonment will now get faster Bharat AirFibre broadband internet services.

High-Speed Internet @ ₹349 per month:

The subscribers of Bharat AirFibre can avail high-speed internet at an affordable price of ₹349 per month. This brings high-speed internet connectivity quite economical to the users in villages.

It has to be noted that GoI has allowed the public sector entity BSNL to lay optical fiber connectivity across India. Recently, it has commissioned submarine optical fibre cable between Chennai and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

One can expect the connectivity to the Lakshadweep Islands from the mainland. Similarly, Bharat Net project for connecting more than 3000 Gram Panchayats in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh union territories.

Also Read: TATA Sky Broadband Starts 300 Mbps Unlimited Data Plan at ₹1470

The Chinese telecom major Xiaomi has announced a massive discount offer on its Android One smartphone in India. Starting today, one can grab the Xiaomi Mi A2 at a price of ₹13,999.

The Xiaomi has made the special announcement on its Twitter handle and also revealed that the company would make more such announcements. Undoubtedly, this has been a big surprise to Mi Fans.

Xiaomi Mi A2 Starting at ₹13,999:

To the unaware, the Android One handset Mi A2 is available in 2 variants - 4GB RAM/64GB ROM and 6GB RAM/128GB ROM. During the launch, these variants got a price tag of ₹17,499 and ₹20,500 respectively. Now, after the massive discount pricing, these two variants can be grabbed at ₹13,999 and ₹15,999 respectively.

Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 660 processor, Xiaomi Mi A2 has got the best Sony dual rear-camera setup of the 12-megapixel sensor and 20-megapixel sensor with f/1.75 aperture. The selfie camera of the 20-megapixel sensor has an inbuilt AI bokeh mode. Best of all, you can’t go wrong with unlimited Google photo storage.

The 5.99-inch Full HD+ display and Android-One brand made it the best under $20k segment. However, the lack of 3.5mm headphone jack gave a big shock to the Mi fans.

With the best camera sensor and lucrative pricing, the Xiaomi Mi A2 is back in the business. Though the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 and RealMe 2 Pro has the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset and bigger battery, Xiaomi Mi A2 seems to be a front-runner after the latest price revision.

The Xiaomi Mi A2 runs the stock Android 9.0 Pie. Moreover, there’s a guaranteed security update for the next 2 years. The latest news is that even the Xiaomi Mi A1 has got the Android 9 Pie update.

What’s Your Opinion?

Definitely, there would be a slight inclination in favour of the stock Android experience of Mi A2. Will you be loyal to Xiaomi or consider its competitors? Just let your opinion.

Also Read: Redmi Note 6 Pro Goes on Sale, Special Price ₹12999 Only for Today

The state-run telecom operator is now on a revision mode. After the recent revision of Broadband plans, the BSNL has set its strategy to offer additional talk time and data up to 4GB on certain combo STV recharges.

Starting from the popular ₹175 STV, the BSNL has packed extra talktime on ₹219, ₹252, and ₹402 STV. The ₹175 STV recharge pack will now include ₹200 talktime along with 0.5GB of data. Similarly, the ₹219 STV recharge will get ₹250 talktime and 0.5GB of data with a validity period of 60 days.

BSNL ₹402 STV Offers ₹600 Talktime:

On a similar note, the ₹252 STV recharge pack will now get ₹350 talktime (earlier ₹200) and 2GB of mobile data. This is really a good deal for BSNL subscribers.

The largest pack to get a revision by BSNL is ₹402 STV recharge pack. It now offers a whooping ₹600 talktime and 4GB of high-speed data with a validity of 60 days.

Additional 10% Talktime on Top-Ups:

Leaving combo STV’s aside, the BSNL has also offered extra ₹30 talktime on ₹300 top-up. Similarly, in a bid to encourage top-ups, the BSNL has started providing additional 10% benefit on selective days.

For example, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday one gets an extra 10% talktime on ₹250 top-up. Similarly, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, the BSNL offers an extra 10% talktime on ₹500 and ₹600 top-ups.

Additional 10% Talktime on Top-Ups:

The popular Plan Vaarshika 1699 gets an extension. It offers unlimited calling (local, STD and roaming) daily 100 SMS and unlimited data with speed restricted to 80 kbps after 2GB per day. Similarly, the Plan Vaarshika Plus 2099 offers 4GB daily data and the above-mentioned benefits with 365 days validity.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr V Sundar, CGM, Telangana Telecom Circle, said that the state has more than 487 Wi-Fi hotspots. By the end of February, one can expect an additional 423 hotspots in the state. Through these Wi-Fi hotspots, the BSNL subscribers can access daily 4GB data with a max speed of 10 Mbps.

Incidentally, the state-run telecom operator is very keen on establishing itself with the best value for money tariff plans. However, the lack of a 4G network is troubling it a lot. Hope the BSNL 4G commercial launch happens soon.

Also Read: BSNL Broadband Plans Starts from ₹99 with 1.5GB Daily Data Benefit

Telecom companies are struck at tariff revision. The state-run telecom operator BSNL is no exception. Till now the telecom companies tried different permutations and combinations with respect to the mobile data. BSNL has gone ahead by revising its unlimited broadband plans.

Surprisingly, the BSNL has introduced GB/day plans by withdrawing unlimited broadband plans. This revision will take place starting 1st December 2018 across all the telecom circles except Andaman & Nicobar Telecom circle. The most popular Unlimited Broadband Plan ₹249 will also get the tariff revision.

The latest revision will be applicable to all the new broadband users. The existing BSNL subscribers who had opted 6-month promotional, annual, 2-yr and 3-yr plans will be spared. They would be brought into the new tariff after the expiry of their current subscription.

BBG Combo ULD 600GB Plan:

Of all the GB/day broadband plans, BSNL BBG Combo ₹491 monthly plan offers a whopping 20 GB per day. It translates to 600GB of data in a month. Apart from the data, it offers 24-hour unlimited free calls (both local and national) to any network in India.

It is to be noted that one can access broadband at 10 Mbps speed with a limit of 20 GB/day. Post the FUP limit, the speed will be reduced to 2 Mbps. The data calculation would restart daily at 00.00 hours.

The BSNL has launched this plan on a promotional basis for a period of 90 days. Upon the expiry of the promotional period (90 or 180 days), the subscriber will be migrated to the regular Broadband plans. Remember, the written consent would be taken while filling the CAF form. No separate calls would be made during the phase of the migration.

BSNL GB/Day Plans Comparison:

	BBG Combo ULD 150GB Plan	BBG Combo ULD 300GB Plan	BBG Combo ULD 600GB Plan
Bandwidth (Download Speed)	Upto 20 Mbps	Upto 20 Mbps	Upto 20 Mbps
FUP	till 5 GB/day	till 10 GB/day	till 20 GB/day
Post FUP Speed	Upto 1 Mbps beyond	Upto 1 Mbps beyond	Upto 1 Mbps beyond
Monthly Charges	₹199	₹299	₹491
Download/Upload Limit (MB/GB) per month	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Free E-mail IDs/Space (Per E-mail ID)	1/1 GB	1/1 GB	1/1 GB
Security Deposit	₹500	₹500	₹500
Telephone fixed monthly charges	Nil	Nil	Nil
24-hr Free Calls on any network	Unlimited calling	Unlimited calling	Unlimited calling

What’s Your Opinion?

Don’t know what made the PSU implement daily FUP in landline (wired) broadband segment. Sometimes it may be necessary to download large files. In such a scenario, if the daily FUP gets exhausted then the subscriber should wait till the next morning or else should continue with 1 Mbps speed.

This is really a disappointing movie by the BSNL. Being a PSU, the BSNL telecom operator should be customer-centric and provide value for money plans. When the users are moving away from wired broadband, the latest tariff revision by BSNL is a setback.

Also Read: BSNL Broadband Plans Starts from ₹99 with 1.5GB Daily Data Benefit

If the reports are to be believed the existing TV channels will not go off-air on December 28th or 29th. However, one should contact the DTH operator or MSO operator and verify the same.

One thing is for sure, the unsubscribed channels will go off air after a certain time. This will enable you to pay only for the channels want to watch. Certainly, the new move will help the subscriber to pay less than the current bill.

Individual Channels or Bouquets, Which is Better?

If you want a better deal then it is recommended to get a pre-packed bouquet instead of the individual channels. Say, STAR Maa value pack that includes 10 channels is being offered at ₹39. Isn’t it a better deal?

However, if you want to watch only a few select channels then it is always better to get them individually as it will be cheaper for you. Do remember that TRAI has capped the MRP of a channel at ₹19 it has to be included in a bouquet.

Similarly, the TRAI has facilitated the customer to pay just ₹25 in case of restarting the suspended connection. If the duration is more than 3 months, then just pay ₹100 to get reconnected. In this case, you don’t need to repay the installation or monthly subscription cost.

Incidentally, there are over 600 Free-to-Air channels and the users can select 100 free channels out of them. The list so exhaustive that it is advisable to group them according to the regional language.

Free-to-Air Channels in Telugu Regional Language

1-10	11-20	21-30	31-40	41-50
DD Yadgiri	V6 News	AP 24/7	Shopping Zone	Bhakti Sagar
DD Sapthagiri	At News Republic	TV 9	Hindu Dharmam	Aradhana
Jeevana Margam	V1	Maha News	Sai TV	Rakshana TV
Vanitha	Raj News	CVR News	SVBC	Divyavani
Studio ONE	Sakshi TV	Jai Telangana	Jaya Jaya Sankara	Calvary Temple
Vissa TV	TV 5	1 One Voice	Bhakti TV	Gospel TV
Raj Music Telugu	HMTV	T SAT Vidya	CVR Om	Tollywood
T News	10 TV	CVR Health	Divya TV	Aaj Tak
ABN Andhrajyothy	N TV	Shopping Zone	Sri Sankara	NDTV 24x7
Bharat Today	Mojo TV	CVR Health	Vedic	CBeebies

In an effort to improve ARPU, the leading telecom companies including Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel suspends lifetime validity plans. It restricted prepaid users from making any outgoing calls without unlimited combo packs.

Though there’s an increased usage of unlimited prepaid packs, many subscribers are still relying on the very old talk time plans. With the recent strategic decision of removing talk time plans, the telecom companies have once again shocked the users by barring outgoing and incoming calls on prepaid numbers.

Airtel Vodafone Idea Forces Users to opt Unlimited Combo Prepaid Plans:

When Reliance Jio is being credited for free incoming calls (data being charged), the incumbent private telecom operators gave a rude shock by charging subscribers for the incoming calls. It’s a known fact that these telecom companies are blooding heavily after the introduction of free unlimited calling services by the new entrant Reliance Jio.

It’s a known fact that these companies are trying desperately to improve their ARPU after showing losses in the balance sheet for the last 2 years. Unless the user is on unlimited prepaid combo plan (including ₹149, ₹199, ₹209, ₹249, ₹295, ₹349, ₹399, ₹499, ₹558 and so on), the outgoing call facility will be barred.

To be precise, the outgoing facility will be barred on the 15th day after the expiry of the unlimited pack. Similarly, the incoming facility will also be restricted on the 30th day. This means, that the user can’t make or receive a call even if he/she has a balance of ₹1000 as talk time in the account. This is simply a ridiculous move by the telecom operators. Of course, a smart move to increase their ARPU!

Affects Rural & Old Folks:

With the advent of dual-SIM handsets and ultra-affordable Reliance Jio unlimited packs, paying at least ₹35 every 28 days may not be a costly affair. However, this new pricing strategy will definitely affect the rural subscribers.

In most of the cases, the rural users do engage their handsets only for incoming calls. The same can be seen in the older generation. With the new pricing strategy, the telecom companies are forcing these subscribers to pay at least ₹35 every 28 days just to receive incoming calls.

Also Read: BSNL Takes On Jio with ₹1699 and ₹2099 Annual Plans

Just for the sake of a marginal increase in ARPU, the telecom companies are ruthlessly burdening their loyal subscribers. Yes, I admit that the above-mentioned users are loyal subscribers in contrast to the younger generation who port their number for the benefits.

Live Case Study:

Here’s an example to prove my point. Today, my dad who’s been sticking to Idea Cellular from a decade was unable to make outgoing calls in spite of having ₹852 talk time in his account. After recharging with ₹35, a talk time of ₹26 plus 100MB data got credited with an outgoing validity of 28 days.

If the reports are to be believed Vodafone has gone one step ahead and even blocked incoming messages. Thus, if you don’t want to miss OTP’s from bank to complete financial transactions, then go-ahead and recharge now to unblock your number.

Why should one recharge in spite of having a talk time balance? Just to feed the top telecom companies?

Possible Implications of the New Pricing Strategy:

If one happens to analyze the current telecom industry scenario, there are only a few options to consider. Either stick with your current telecom operator by recharging at least ₹35 every 28 days or to port out.

If the subscriber wants to stick with the present telecom operator (Airtel Vodafone Idea), then what are the recharges available apart from ₹35?

Prepaid Plan	Benefits	Outgoing Validity
₹35	₹26 Talktime + 100MB Data	28 days
₹65	₹55 Talktime + 200MB Data + 1 p/s Tariff	28 days
₹95	₹95 Talktime + 500MB Data + 1p/2s Tariff	28 days
₹145	₹145 Talktime + 1GB Data + 1p/2s Tariff	42 days

Right, what if I want to port out of Airtel Vodafone Idea Cellular service? Here, one can opt either Reliance Jio or BSNL.
It is to be noted that Reliance Jio allows its subscribers to receive incoming calls even after the expiry of its validity. In case of BSNL, one can enjoy 180 days validity with a single recharge.

With the entry of Reliance Jio, most of the subscribers made it a second SIM. This is mainly due to the fact portability was not allowed during the initial days. Later on, users ported into Jio without changing their primary number.

What’s Your Opinion?

If you already own a Jio 4G SIM then the next best alternative is getting a BSNL or MTNL SIM. Just visit a nearby BSNL office with a port request, pay 108 and get the First Recharge done. Undoubtedly, the state-run telecom operator BSNL will be the biggest gainer in this situation. This will help the users to get rid of monthly fixed minimum commitment.

Though it may not happen immediately, I strongly believe that a single SIM era will pick-up slowly. Or the dual SIM handset will have Jio and BSNL combo or Airtel/Vodafone/Idea and Jio combo. Whatever may be the configuration, both BSNL and Reliance Jio will be there to serve across the nation.

Also Read: Airtel Adds Another 1.4GB Daily Data Plan with 75 Days Validity at ₹419

Indian global telecommunications services company Bharti Airtel has rolled out VoLTE technology across all markets in India services except Jammu and Kashmir.

According to Mr Gopal Vittal, Managing Director & CEO (India & South Asia), Bharti Airtel, the company will launch VoLTE services later this year in Jammu & Kashmir. With this, Bharti Airtel will be the only second company after Reliance Jio to roll out 4G VoLTE services across India.

Airtel VoLTE Across PAN India by the 2018 Year End:

As per the latest reports, Bharti Airtel is conducting trials in 5 cities in Jammu & Kashmir and hope to make the VoLTE services live there by the year-end.

Currently, the Reliance Jio is the only telecom network to provide VoLTE services across India. In fact, the company has launched the telecom services only through LTE. Next, to Reliance Jio, Airtel has got 4G services in 21 telecom circles.

Starting September 2017, Bharti Airtel has launched VoLTE services. However, after August 2018, the company expanded its VoLTE services at a faster rate. During August Airtel VoLTE was just limited to 12 telecom circles but now it has gone up to 21 telecom circles.

On the other hand, the leading telecom operator Vodafone India has VoLTE in 18 telecom circles while its partner Idea Cellular has VoLTE presence in 20 telecom circles leaving Kolkata and New Delhi telecom circles.

The state-run telecom company BSNL is yet to start its 4G coverage. Though parts of Kerala, Nagpur and Andhra Pradesh new capital city have got BSNL 4G, it is yet to start full-fledged operations.

Why VoLTE? What are the Benefits of VoLTE?

By launching VoLTE services, the telecom operators will be able to offer HD voice calls, instant call connection and efficient multitasking without interruption of 4G internet sessions.

For all this to happen, the user should possess VoLTE enabled handset. Bharti Airtel has got an exclusive service to check whether your mobile number has Airtel VoLTE or not.

All the higher-end handsets have inbuilt VoLTE feature. However, the Airtel VoLTE compatibility is rolled out in a phased manner. Currently, more than 198 smartphones have Airtel VoLTE support. You can check whether the handset has Airtel VoLTE or not by visiting the Airtel website.

The popular handsets that has got Airtel VoLTE compatibility include Apple iPhone Xs, iPhone X, iPhone Xs Max, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, Samsung Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy S9, OnePlus 6, OnePlus 6T, Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, Mi A2, Xiaomi POCO F1, Gionee A1, Honor 8X, etc. Surprisingly, Google has not yet added Airtel VoLTE support to its flagship Pixel handsets.

Also Read: Airtel Adds Another 1.4GB Daily Data Plan with 75 Days Validity at ₹419

The state-run telecom BSNL is the country’s only authorized service provider for satellite phone services. Under the title of “Global Satellite Phone Service (GSPS)”, the user gets connected through direct linkage with the satellite.

BSNL GSPS in Association with INMARSAT:

Interestingly, this facility works even in remote areas where there is no traditional mobile/landline network or any signal from the mobile tower. Speaking technically, these satellite phone services will be provided by UK-based INMARSAT’s fourth generation technology which has 14 satellites.

To the unaware, INMARSAT stands for International Mobile Satellite Organization. This was set up under the sponsorship of the United Nations in the year 1979.

In India, these are presently provided by Tata Communications Ltd which inherited the license from Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited.

BSNL Satellite Phone in High Demand:

Earlier, these BSNL satellite phone services were extensively used by Government agencies (including Border Security Force and Disaster Management Agencies) while handling relief and rescue operations during emergency situations.

Later on, these satellite phone services are now extended to the general public and private enterprises. The new technology satphones are in great demand. Apart from the fishing industry which engages in multiday deep-sea stay fishing, the state governments of Kerala and Tamil Nadu are the biggest users of satphones.

As the new generation satellite phones are capable of handling GPS, Bluetooth, and high-quality voice with an extended battery capacity of 8 hours talk time and 100 hours standby, these satphones are attracting great business from Navy, hotels, and fishing trawlers.

BSNL Satellite Phone Tariff Plan:

In order to avail the BSNL Global Satellite Phone Service, one has to submit the completely filled in Consumer Acquisition Form (CAF) along with a sum of ₹1180 as registration money. Of course, you’ll be asked for the Photo ID and Address proof.

Apart from this initial deposit, one has to pay ₹1000 per connection as registration charges and ₹500 per connection as activation charges. The cost of a single handset is ₹70,000 plus GST. The WPC charges are ₹14,250 per annum per handset.

Starting December 1st, the BSNL has slashed the call charges for both government agencies and the general public. In the case of the general public, the call charges have been reduced from ₹60 to ₹35. The Government users will now have to pay ₹25 instead of ₹45. Similarly, the SMS charges are ₹35 and ₹25 for the general public and government users respectively.

Prepaid Plans for Commercial Users:

GSPS Prepaid Plan	Mandatory Charges	Charges
Plan C1 (Monthly)	₹2000	Free Calls worth ₹1320 per month
Plan CA (Annual)	₹22,000	Free Calls worth ₹1320 (per month) / Free Calls worth ₹15840 (per annum)
Outgoing Calls to PSTN/PLMN/GSPS		₹35 per 60 Sec
Incoming Calls from PSTN/PLMN/GSPS		₹30 per 60 Sec
Outgoing International/Roaming Calls to PSTN/PLMN/GSPS		₹260 per 60 Sec
Incoming International/Roaming Calls from PSTN/PLMN/GSPS		₹260 per 60 Sec
SMS Charges (Local)		₹35 per SMS
SMS Charges (International)		₹265 per SMS

What’s Your Opinion?

Though the prices seem to be on a higher side, the satellite phone service is the only option when other modes of communication are not feasible. Definitely, the reduction is tariff will further boost business for BSNL in this new vertical.

Also Read: BSNL Takes On Jio with ₹1699 and ₹2099 Annual Plans

After the festival rush, it’s rumoured that telecom service operators went into a silent mode. The incumbent private telecom companies are no exception.

However, after a brief stint, the state-run telecom operator BSNL revised its entry-level ₹29 recharge. The new BSNL Freedom Chhota 29 STV pack will now offer unlimited calling, 1GB data, and 300 SMS with a validity period of 7 days.

BSNL Freedom Chhota 29 STV:

The latest revision will be applicable across PAN India. As per the reports, the new BSNL ₹29 STV is a combo voucher that offers unlimited voice calls in the home and national roaming except for MTNL Delhi and Mumbai Telecom circles.

Apart from 1GB data and 300 SMS benefits, the pack offers FREE BSNL caller tunes with unlimited songs change. However, please do note that this pack will have a validity of 7 calendar days.

Previously, the BSNL Freedom Chhota 29 STV used to offer daily 2GB data, unlimited calls in the home circle, and 100 SMS within the same validity period of 7 days. The quick revision is a big let down as it used to offer 14GB of data. It’s now drastically reduced to just 1GB data.

Leaving aside the other benefits, the reduction in data is a huge letdown.

BSNL Freedom Chhota 9 STV:

Apart from the 1-week validity pack, BSNl has also got Freedom Chhota 9 STV pack valid only for 1 calendar day. It offers unlimited voice calling in Home and LSA and national roaming (excluding MTNL Delhi and Mumbai Telecom circles), 100 MB data, and 100 SMS within 1 calendar day.

Though the private telecom service operators have got better-prepaid packs, BSNL is way ahead of them by offering the cheapest pack. Undoubtedly, the state-run telecom operator BSNL offers the most affordable prepaid STV packs.

For comparison, the Reliance Jio Prepaid PV 28 offers unlimited voice calling in both home and national roaming, 0.5GB data, and 100 SMS per day. The tariff validity of the Jio PV 28 is 7 days.

Similarly, the Jio.com offers ₹19 and ₹52 sachet packs that offer 0.15 GB and 1.05 GB data with a validity of 1 day and 7 days respectively. It’s to be noted that Jio ₹52 offers daily 0.15 GB data and 70 SMS in 7 days period.

Also Read: BSNL Takes On Jio with ₹1699 and ₹2099 Annual Plans

The Chinese tech giant Xiaomi has opened its first store in the UK by announcing the international debut of its flagship smartphone Mi 8 Pro. Till date, the European market is dominated by Samsung and Apple.

This is to note that Xiaomi for the first time has launched its flagship handset outside China. With the latest move, the company aims to appeal to the British and European market. A year ago, Xiaomi marked its European debut with Spain and then expanded its territory to France and Italy.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro Specifications:

Coming to the flagship Mi 8 Pro, it sports a 6.21-inch High-Definition AMOLED display with a dual camera powered by Artificial Intelligence. The handset is powered by the latest Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 chipset that’s found in Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and OnePlus 6T.

The 12-megapixel dual-lens camera at the rear and a transparent glass back cover are the USP’s of the handset. Backed by a 3000mAh battery, Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro has 8GB RAM with 128GB internal storage.

Also Read: Asus Zenfone 5Z Flagship Smartphone Launched with Snapdragon 845 SoC

Xiaomi UK Product Portfolio:

When all these specs cost £900, Xiaomi has packed the flagship for just £499. Along with the flagship handset, Xiaomi has also launched an entry-level smartphone Redmi 6A at £99. As per the reports, Xiaomi plans to launch Mi A2 and Mi 8 Lite at £259 and £279 respectively. The Chinese giant Xiaomi has also got Mi range products including Xiaomi Band 3 fitness band and an electric scooter (£399.99).

Unfortunately, Xiaomi brings the same flash sale strategy to the new territory. Want to try your luck then grab Mi A2 for just £1 as the company is hosting a series of flash sales.

Interestingly, Xiaomi will sell the Mi products both online (Mi.com, Amazon) and offline. Efforts are being made to include carrier channel 3 and partner with Carphone Warehouse. Starting November 18th, an authorized Mi outlet will open in London’s Westfield Mall.

What’s Your Opinion?

The Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has got a worldwide appreciation for its high-end specs at a throw-away price. Thus, the tech lovers of Britain can expect the same growth and presence in the UK. Indeed, Xiaomi is the world’s fourth-largest handset maker. Only Apple, Samsung and Huawei are ahead of it.

If the forecasts are to be believed, Samsung will definitely lose the market with Xiaomi’s UK presence. However, the Cupertino-headquartered Apple Inc will probably be safe due to its high-price product line.

Also Read: Xiaomi Poco F1 Review - The Killer of the Flagship Killer

The year 2018 proved to be the most successful year for the Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer ASUS. Starting with Zenfone Max Pro M1 and Zenfone 5Z, it stunned the competitors by announcing budget handsets with decent specs.

The company recently highlighted it by announcing that more than 1 million units of Zenfone Max Pro M1 were sold within 6 months. The ASUS company now announced entry-level budget segment handsets with the unintuitive nomenclature Zenfone Max M1 and Zenfone Lite L1.

Asus Zenfone Max M1 Specifications:

Leaving the nomenclature aside, the new Asus Zenfone Max M1 looks simple and smaller. Design wise, it looks similar to Asus Zenfonre Max M1 Pro. With a resolution of 1440x720 pixels and 247ppi pixel density, the handset has got a decent contrast and colour balance. Though outdoor visibility is good enough it is spoiled by the glass on the top.

The 5.45-inch handset is powered by a decent processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 SoC and 3GB RAM. Packed by an inbuilt 32GB storage, the Asus Zenfone Max M1 can be expanded up to 256GB storage via a micro SD card.

Camera & Videography:

Similarly, on the optics front, the primary camera is equipped with 13-megapixel and an 8-megapixel for selfie lovers. The pics are okay in daylight but poor in night photography. Mobile videography is supported with Electronic Image Stabilization. However, one can’t expect great videos at this budget price range.

Powered by a mammoth 4000mAh battery, the Asus Zenfone Max M1 will easily last a little less than a day when compared to Max Pro M1. Due to the absence of a fast charging feature, the handset takes not less than 4 hours for a complete charge. Upon heavy usage, the handset heats up (very common) and is manageable.

The Asus Zenfone Max M1 boots Android Oreo 8.1 based ZenUI 5.0 on the top. On the other hand, the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 gives a stock Android experience with a confirmed Android Pie update.

The Asus ZB555KL (code name) is a dual-SIM 4G VoLTE handset with a confirmed provision of dedicated microSD card (triple card) slot. It offers all the required connectivity options including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, micro USB port and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

What’s Your Opinion?

Specs wise, the handset can do everything but at a bit slower rate. It can handle pubg asphalt with little tweaks in graphics settings. If you are looking at a decent Snapdragon processor and not interested in Xiaomi phones than it is a better buy.

At a starting price of ₹8999, Asus Zenfone Max M1 is a decent buy. There are a couple of alternatives including Xiaomi Redmi 6 to choose from. On the other hand, if you can stretch the budget then its bigger brother Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 is a solid performer with Snapdragon 636 SoC.

Also Read: OPPO Realme 1 Gets AI Chip & Dual 4G Support for ₹8990

The Chinese smartphone manufacturer OnePlus stuns its competitors to keep dream run alive by launching OnePlus 6T. Known for its good specs in a cheap package keeps its momentum high.

The successor of OnePlus 6 will surely break the ice with many more record-breaking sales. The tweaked version of OnePlus 6 with a bigger battery and a couple of new features makes the new OnePlus 6T the most advanced phone to date.

Before you purchase the newly launched OnePlus 6T, make sure to read the latest news and everything about OnePlus 6T!

OnePlus 6T Specifications:

In terms of design and specs, OnePlus 6 T keeps on updating with latest and greatest specs on the board. The in-display fingerprint sensor, smaller notch at the top, and bigger battery make it a worthy flagship handset.

The OnePlus 6T doesn’t have any big difference when compared to its predecessor. It sports a 6.41-inch AMOLED display with 1080x2340 pixel resolution with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio (86% screen-to-body ratio).

Powered by the powerful Snapdragon 845 chipset and 6GB/8GB LPDDR4X RAM, OnePlus 6 T comes in 128GB/256GB storage with no option of expandable storage via microSD card.

Also Read: Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL Launched - My First Impressions

Not a Game Changer Camera for OnePlus 6T:

For the protection of screen, it has Corning Gorilla Glass on its top. It has got “waterdrop” style for its notch. Coming to the cameras, OnePlus 6T sports a 16MP f/1.7 Sony IMX 519 w/EIS, OIS primary and 20-mp f/1.7 Sony IMX 376K portrait camera. The front camera is equipped with 16-mp f/2.0 Sony IMX 371 w/EIS lens for better handling of selfies.

With improved nightscape mode, OnePlus 6T boasts to process low-light pics. However, one can’t compare it with Google’s Night Sight for sure. However, the comparison at a greater cost will not do proper justice. For the given price, the OnePlus 6T camera is worth enough.

Decent Battery with Fast Charge Support:

The 20% improvement in battery life through 3700mAh battery will definitely better it chances against the competition. With GPS on and a lot of Youtubin’, OnePlus 6T was able to provide 6 hours of screen on time. The fast charge support (5V, 4A) makes it a reliable smartphone to deliver a day’s battery juice within 30 minutes of power.

For the die-hard fans of a 3.5mm headphone jack, OnePlus 6T has got the bad news. The company will no longer provide the 3.5mm jack support. However, the addition of the in-display fingerprint sensor by removing it from the backside will make the new OnePlus 6T more secure and faster to unlock.

The Android 9 Pie with Oxygen OS makes it near perfect with own set of options to customize the look and feel.

OnePlus Getting Aggressive with Online & Offline Presence:

Starting November 1st, the OnePlus 6T will be up for sale on the e-commerce portal Amazon India, OnePlus official website, Croma and Reliance Digital stores across the nation. Apart from its online presence, OnePlus is making efforts to boost its offline visibility and thus getting aggressive in the Indian market.

Apart from the two colour variants Midnight Black and Mirror Black, the company is set to launch the third colour variant Thunder Purple. It looks as if the company is following the same strategy of OnePlus 6 with respect to the colours.

Regarding the pricing, OnePlus 6T Mirror Black base variant 6GB RAM/128GB ROM will cost ₹37,999. The next higher variant 8GB RAM+128GB ROM version will retail for ₹41,999. The premium variant (8GB RAM+ 128GB ROM) will cost ₹44,999.

Also Read: Xiaomi Poco F1 Review - The Killer of the Flagship Killer

As part of the launch, OnePlus has tied up with Amazon India, and Indian Banks such as ICICI, Kotak and Citibank to offer cashback discounts. On the purchase of OnePlus 6T handset during the offer duration (Nov 1-5th, 2018), Amazon India offers extra ₹1000 cashback in the form of Amazon Pay Balance. For Amazon Prime customers, you get extra ₹500.

OnePlus 6T Latest News: No Notification LED & More

A series of threads in the OnePlus official forums started popping up regarding notification LED. The company officially confirmed that notification LED was removed as an attempt to replace it for ambient display features.

Though the handset is water-resistant, the product page doesn’t specify any IP rating. The news has gone viral and an official IP certification is yet to prove the claim.

Should You Purchase OnePlus 6T?

If you purchase through HDFC Credit/Debit Card, you get 10% instant discount up to ₹1500. That translates to ₹3000 instant discount if you happen to use Amazon Pay Balance and HDFC card for the purchase transaction.

In short, the latest OnePlus 6T is an excellent flagship smartphone with a little compromise on camera. If you are a OnePlus flagship hardware lover and got vexed up with the ridiculous pricing of Google Pixel, then OnePlus 6T is for you.

However, if you are a camera lover and don’t want to compromise with loads of cash then OnePlus 6T is certainly not for you. Otherwise, the new OnePlus 6T is the real flagship killer.

Also Read: Asus Zenfone 5Z Flagship Smartphone Launched with Snapdragon 845 SoC

The state-run telecom company BSNL has come up with new annual recharge plans to counter Reliance Jio 1699 yearly plan. To mark the festive season, telecom companies are rolling out unique plans in style.

Recently, the new entrant Reliance Jio launched extra-long annual plan valid for 365 days. To counter the attack, BSNL came up with a similar plan in line with Jio 1699 yearly plan.

Though the state-owned telecom operator claims that the plan is launched to attract new customers during Diwali season, it is a clear attempt to challenge the supremacy of Reliance Jio in tier 2 and tier 3 cities.

BSNL ₹1699 Annual Plan:

As per the BSNL’s 1699 Plan, the user gets daily 2GB data, unlimited (local, STD and national roaming) voice calling and daily 100 SMS. The free outgoing in national roaming includes Mumbai and Delhi Telecom circles. Here, the subscriber will get a total of 730 GB of data with a validity of 365 days. One can even enjoy a free Personalized Ring Back Tone (PRBT).

Post the allotted FUP 2GB/day data, one can still access the data at 80 Kbps. The ₹1699 recharge brings the per GB data cost to ₹2.32 which is very less when compared to Reliance Jio’s offering. The BSNL annual plan is open to all on a PAN-India basis.

Along with ₹1699 Plan, the BSNL has launched another annual plan priced at ₹2099. Here, the subscriber gets daily 4GB data along with unlimited voice calls (local, STD, and national roaming) and 100 SMS per day.

As mentioned earlier, the national roaming is free including Mumbai and Delhi telecom circles. Post the FUP limit, the data speed will come down to 80 Kbps.

Reliance Jio 1699 Yearly Plan:

Jio surprised everyone by launching 1699 Yearly Plan with unlimited calling, 100 SMS per day and data benefits. As per FUP, the Jio 4G data is capped at 1.5GB per day. Post the FUP limit, the speed decreases to 64kbps.

Under this yearly pack, Jio subscriber will get a total of 547.5GB of data in 365 days validity period. As per the new offer, the users buying ₹1699 plan will get 100% cash back in the form of coupons that can be redeemable only at Reliance Digital Stores.

Though the coupons are valid until December 31, 2018, they can be redeemable only when the user makes a purchase worth above ₹5000. Undoubtedly, this promotional cashback will not attract the masses.

BSNL Vs Reliance Jio Annual Plan - What’s Your Take?

Annual Plan	BSNL 1699 Yearly Plan	BSNL 2099 Yearly Plan	Reliance Jio 1699 Yearly Plan
Voice Calls ((Local + STD + National Roaming))	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
SMS	100 SMS/Day	100 SMS/Day	100 SMS/Day
Data (4G/3G/2G)	2 GB per day	4 GB per day	1.5 GB per day
Total Data	730 GB	1460 GB	547.5 GB
Post FUP	80 kbps	80 kbps	64 kbps
Cost Per GB	₹2.32 per GB	₹1.43 per GB	₹3.10 per GB
Validity Period	365 days	365 days	365 days
Price	₹1,699	₹2,099	₹1,699

Comparatively, BSNL annual plan looks stronger on the paper. However, it has some limitations too. Unfortunately, the state-run telecom operator BSNL doesn’t have the 4G network completely.

The BSNL subscribers just rely upon 3G and 2G network coverage. Though it has a slower speed than its competitors, BSNL provides better coverage and last-mile reach in rural areas.

If you happen to observe the latest telecom trends from the last couple of years, BSNL is rocking it up to take on any new initiative. The private entities Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea Cellular are taking time to innovate. If this trend continues, BSNL will put pressure on the Govt to secure the required 4G waves as soon as possible.

Also Read: BSNL Bumper Offer Adds Extra 2.2GB Data on 10 Prepaid Plans

Idea Cellular known for its highly successful postpaid plans has launched Nirvana Postpaid Plan as low as Nirvana 399. With this you get complete peace of mind with free perks including unused data carry forward option and handset security.

Under the new Nirvana Postpaid Plans, one can accumulate and carry forward 300GB of data to successive months. Currently, there are about 7 nirvana postpaid plans starting with Nirvana 399, Nirvana 499, Nirvana 999, Nirvana 1299, Nirvana 1699, Nirvana 1999, and Nirvana 2999.

Idea Nirvana 399 Postpaid Plan:

Interestingly, all these Nirvana postpaid plans have data carry forward option. The cheapest among them is Nirvana 399 Plan. As per the plan, the Idea subscriber will enjoy unlimited calls (local and national), 40GB 4G/3G/2G data, 100 SMS (local, national and roaming) per day. The While in roaming, voice calls are free in Idea network whereas they are charged ₹0.8/min in local outgoing and ₹1.15/min in STD outgoing.

As per the revised tariff, the plan enables the user to carry forward a total of 200GB. After the usage of 40GB, the data is priced at ₹20 per GB. A security deposit of ₹199 is charged to activate this plan.

The other plans that form the umbrella of Idea Nirvana Postpaid include unlimited calls (local and national), 100 SMS (local, national, and roaming) per day, and fixed tariff for outgoing in national roaming. The only difference is with respect to the data allocated and carry forward.

The Idea Cellular Ltd has got twin pricing model for its unused data to carry forward. For the plan with monthly rental less than ₹999, one can carry forward data up to 200 GB. However, for the plan rentals above ₹1299, the data carry option is hiked up to 500GB.

Also Read: Idea Cellular 6GB Add-on Bullet Pack for ₹92 with 7 Days Validity

Idea Phone Secure Facility for Free:

Apart from the combo benefits, the Idea Nirvana plans offer the free Idea Phone Secure facility. It includes free anti-theft, antivirus and damage protection service for your handset. However, there is a catch here.

The free subscription is limited to 4 months on nirvana plan rentals of ₹1699 and ₹1999. This Idea Phone Secure facility is 12-month free add-on for a monthly rental of ₹2999.

Similarly, the Idea Movie & TV app, Idea Music app subscription is completely free for 12 months. One can even get free magazines on My Idea app. Apart from these premium subscriptions, Idea offers Select Membership and exclusive benefits including priority access at Idea stores and call centres.

Idea Nirvana Postpaid Plans Comparision:

Unlimited Pack	Nirvana 399	Nirvana 499	Nirvana 999	Nirvana 1299	Nirvana 1699	Nirvana 1999	Nirvana 2999
Voice Calls (Local + STD Calls)	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Roaming (Incoming & Outgoing Free)	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Local/National/Roaming SMS	100 SMS/Day	100 SMS/Day	100 SMS/Day	100 SMS/Day	3000 SMS/Day	3000 SMS/Day	3000 SMS/Day
Data (4G/3G/2G) with Carry Forward	40 GB	75 GB	100 GB	125 GB	150 GB	200 GB	300 GB
Data Carry Forward	Upto 200 GB	Upto 200 GB	Upto 200 GB	Upto 500 GB	Upto 500 GB	Upto 500 GB	Upto 500 GB
Idea Phone Secure Free Subscription					4 Months	4 Months	12 Months
Idea Movies & TV Free App Subscription	12 Months	12 Months	12 Months	12 Months	12 Months	12 Months	12 Months
International Calls			Free 50 Min	Free 100 Min	Free 100 Min	Free 200 Min	Free 200 Min
Idea Select Membership Subscription					Free	Free	Free
Idea Music Free App Subscription	12 Months	12 Months	12 Months	12 Months	12 Months	12 Months	12 Months
Free Magazines On My Idea App					For 4 Months	For 4 Months	For 12 Months

Also Read: Vodafone Idea Cellular Offers 1.5GB Daily Data Starting with ₹209 Plan

Honor 8X storms Amazon’s Great Indian Festival by becoming the best seller on its launch day on October 24th. The sub-brand of Huawei, Honor, has got a tagline – For the Brave. Keeping up its name, Honor 8X raised huge demand beyond limits and the flash sale went out of stock in seconds.

The Chinese manufacturer has got all the latest specs in the newly launched Honor 8X. Stating from a flagship-grade premium design to a decent performance-oriented hardware and software combo, the Honor 8X has got the right mix.

Honor’s best seller will now challenge Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1, Nokia 6.1 Plus, OPPO Realme2 Pro and Motorola One Power. Incidentally, all the above-listed phones are the best-selling smartphones under ₹20,000.

Honor 8X Specifications:

Regarding specifications, the Honor 8X features a 6.5-inch Full HD+ (2340 x1080 pixels) display with a notch on top. A 19.5:9 aspect ratio (91% screen-to-body ratio) combined with 397 pixels display and sleek 4.25mm wide bottom bezel a gorgeous premium feel.

The glass body with visual grating effect is a real stunner. Indeed, the rich reflective design brings a wow-factor to this budget handset. The Honor’s superior build quality is will definitely compel the other handset manufacturers to rethink their strategy.

Though it might look to be slippery, Honor 8X is well equipped with a robust TPU case for the firm grip. It will definitely work as an add-on protective layer on the rear glass. Powered by the latest HiSilicon Kirin 710 chipset and Mali G51 GPU, the smartphone retails in 4GB and 5GB RAM variants.

The GPU Turbo enables high-performance graphics processing to provide an awesome gaming experience. Though one cannot compare it with the likes of Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset, HiSilicon Kirin 710 is a decent performer.

Apart from this one has an option to choose the internal storage option up to 128GB that can be scaled up to 528 GB of storage. The handset supports an expandable microSD up to 400GB storage with no hassles.

Honor 8X Camera Review:

In the imaging department, Honor 8X features a 20-megapixel AI dual camera and 16-megapixel front camera for selfies with Bokeh effect. As per the early reports, even the non-AI pics are splendid enough in real time.

If you are a lover of slow-motion videos then would be disappointed to note that slow-motion videography at 480fps is capped to 10 seconds. You can’t record 4K videos but can make 1080p videos at 60fps. On a positive note, Automatic Image Stabilization (AIS) is added.

Powered by a decent 3750mAh battery, one can enjoy Honor 8X without worrying about the battery juice left for the day. As per connectivity options, the Honor 8X is a dual SIM handset with Dual VoLTE, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth, GPS, micro-USB port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Honor 8X Battery & Android Pie Update:

The Honor 8X gets a decent 3750mAh battery to pump juice that can withstand daily usage. Moreover, the intelligent battery saving system and a 5V/2A (10W) charging support will not let you down.

Though Honor 8X now boots EMUI 8.2 (Android 8.1 Oreo) one can expect Android Pie update soon. The company has launched the new handset in 4 variants including Black, Blue, Red and Pink colour. Personally, I felt Blue and Red color variants to be damn gorgeous.

Price wise, the Honor 8X 4GRAM/64GB ROM, 6GRAM/64GB ROM, and 6GRAM/128GB ROM costs ₹14999, ₹16999 and ₹18999 respectively. As a part of Amazon Great India Sale, one can get 10% cashback on ICICI and Citibank cards.

Honor 8X - The New Budget King?

Considering the design and specs, Honor 8X steals the show and can easily challenge the supremacy of Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro and Oppo Realme 2 Pro. Truly, a full value for money smartphone phone under 20K budget.

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

Bharti Airtel, the 2nd largest mobile network operator in India, has added another 1.4GB daily data plan to its existing prepaid tariff portfolio. The new tariff plan is an open market plan.

Though there’s nothing innovative in the newly launched plan, Bharti Airtel is keeping its momentum in offering new plans now and then. Currently, the company has ₹399 and ₹448 prepaid plans that offer daily 1.4GB data apart from other combo benefits.

Bharti Airtel ₹419 Prepaid Tariff Plan:

With the new ₹419 plan, the Bharti Airtel subscribers will get unlimited voice calls (local, national and roaming) without any FUP limits. Apart from this, one also gets to enjoy 100 SMS per day (local and national) and daily 1.4GB 4G/3G/2G data. However, it should be noted that the validity of the new pack is limited to 75 days.

Unlike Vodafone Idea Cellular, the unlimited voice calls are truly unlimited. In the sense, it doesn’t have any FUP limit tag. Moreover, if there’s no 4G coverage, one can enjoy 1.4GB 3G or 2G data depending upon the availability of coverage.

Unlike Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel is not a PAN-India 4G network provider. Thus, if there is no proper 4G coverage then the network will fall back to 3G or 2G. And as disclosed earlier, there’s no limitation with respect to voice calls.

Bharti Airtel’s 1.4GB Daily Data Plans:

To recall, Bharti Airtel has 5 plans with daily 1.4GB data benefit. When the companies are ready to roll out 1.5GB daily data plans, Bharti Airtel is struck with its new ₹419 plan. Here’s a comprehensive information of Bharti Airtel’s 1.4GB daily data plans.

Unlimited Pack	₹199	₹399	₹419	₹448	₹509
Validity	28 days	70 days	75 days	82 days	90 days
Local + STD Calls	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Roaming (Incoming & Outgoing)	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Local/National SMS	100 SMS/Day	100 SMS/Day	100 SMS/Day	100 SMS/Day	100 SMS/Day
Daily Data (4G/3G/2G)	1.4 GB/Day	1.4 GB/Day	1.4 GB/Day	1.4 GB/Day	1.4 GB/Day

Also Read: Airtel ₹168 Prepaid Recharge - Daily 1GB Data & Hello Tunes

The newly merged entity Vodafone Idea Cellular Ltd is busy in extending its prepaid tariff portfolio. Till now the prepaid users are used to daily 1.4GB daily data plans. In response to Reliance Jio, the Vodafone Idea Cellular has now launched 1.5GB daily data plans offering up to 135GB of 2G/3G/4G data.

Starting with ₹209, the largest telecom company has set a new trend by offering a 1.5GB daily data plan. The other two plans are ₹479 and ₹529 with similar benefits. These plans are in addition to the existing 1.4GB daily data plans.

Idea Cellular ₹529 Plan with 135GB Data:

If you consider the ₹529 plan, it offers a mammoth 135GB of 4G data with a validity of 90 days. The other combo benefits include unlimited voice calls (250 min per day), 100 local/national SMS/day, and 1.5GB daily data with a validity of 90 days.

Similarly, the Vodafone Idea Cellular ₹479 plan offers daily 1.5GB data, unlimited voice calling (250 min per day) and 100 local/national SMS per day with a validity of 84 days. In totally, it offers 126GB of data.

Unlimited Pack but Not Truly Unlimited:

The lowest recharge tariff plan is of ₹209 that has a validity of 28 days. As a bundled package, it offers daily 1.5GB data (2G/3G/4G) and 100 SMS (local & national) and unlimited calls for 28 days. Though the pack says unlimited voice calls it limits the usage to 250 minutes per day (till midnight) and 1000 minutes in consecutive 7 days. Post the 1.5GB daily limit usage, the data will be charged at a default rate of 4 paise per 10 KB.

The third tariff plan with the 1.5GB daily limit is ₹479 plan. It has all the benefits that are specified in the above plans but with a validity of 84 days.

Unlimited Packs Daily 1.5GB Data Plans Comparison:

Unlimited Pack	Validity	Unlimited Voice Calls	SMS Benefit / Day	Daily Data	Total Data
₹209	28 days	Free (local, national, roaming)	100 SMS (local & national)	1.5GB 4G/3G/2G	42 GB
₹479	84 days	Free (local, national, roaming)	100 SMS (local & national)	1.5GB 4G/3G/2G	126 GB
₹529	90 days	Free (local, national, roaming)	100 SMS (local & national)	1.5GB 4G/3G/2G	135 GB

Incidentally, the Idea Cellular is still maintaining 1.4GB daily data plans in its kitty. Both the plans (daily 1.4GB and 1.5GB data plans) are valid across India. These 1.5 GB daily data plans were first initiated by Reliance Jio then Vodafone and Idea Cellular followed it.

What’s Your Opinion?

The new entrant Reliance Jio has updated its prepaid plans with 1.5GB daily data instead of the existing 1.4GB data. The joint venture of Vodafone Idea Cellular Ltd is rolling out competitive plans. Thus, one can expect Bharti Airtel to launch me-too plans with the same data benefit.

Also Read: Idea Cellular New RC 357 Adds 1.5 GB/Day Data & Unlimited Roaming Calls

Without much fanfare Google officially launched its flagship phones. Though there were a lot of leaks and rumors, Google didn’t fail to maintain its surprise element till the last moment.

The year 2017 marked a highly reputed Android phone release in the form of Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. Keeping the momentum, Google officially launched Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL in New York. The new Google Pixel 3 XL handset will be a trendsetter in terms of notch.

Though there would be many comparisons with iPhone XS, Google has incorporated a gigantic notch in its larger flagship. You’ll be amazed to find a 6.3-inch Quad HD+ display with 2960x1440 pixel resolution (523 ppi). It has got a larger display with the large form factor.

Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL Specifications:

On the other hand, the Google Pixel 3 looks to be a normal phone with 5.5-inch 18:9 OLED display and 2160x1080 resolution. With no notch, it resembles as if you have a smaller Pixel 2 XL in hand.

Shedding its metal and glass hybrid design, the new flagship phones have got all glossy glass panel on the back with a provision for wireless charging. On the rear side, you get to see the minimalist design of Google. With IP68 resistance, the handsets are known to withstand dust and water up to 1.5m for 30 min.

Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset and Adreno 630 GPU, Google Pixel 3 devices offers a fluid performance with its 4GB RAM. When the modern flagships are boasting 6GB and 8GB RAM, the RAM could be a limiting factor in GeekBench scores. The internal storage option is limited to 64GB/128GB and are non-expandable.

Also Read: Xiaomi Poco F1 Review - The Killer of the Flagship Killer

Google Pixel 3 XL Camera and Imaging:

Google known for its pro camera system retained the 12.2-megapixel rear sensor with f/1.8 aperture, 1.4um, autofocus and dual pixel phase detection, and OSI + EIS. It’s backed by Google HDR+ technology and produces cooler photos.

The dual front facing cameras of Pixel 3 will have the standard 8-megapixel wide angle and telephoto lens. Moreover, the addition of wide-angle selfie enables the user to have more room in the click.

In video recording section, Google has limited the 4K recording at 30fps when the other flagships are stretching to provide 4K@60fps. However, the USP of Google Pixel 3 phones is its capability of shooting 1080p at 120fps.

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All New Call Screen from Google:

Being a Google flagship phone, the Pixel 3 handsets boot the latest Android 9 Pie out of the box and will receive the security updates for a minimum of 3 years. Though the predecessors have already received the Pie update, the Pixel 3 with Google Assistant has got the mesmerizing Call Screen to avoid spam calls. However, this Call Screen is just limited to USA alone.

Finally, the Google Pixel 3 gets a bump in the battery section. Now it is backed up by a 2915 mAh battery whereas the larger variant Pixel 3 XL has lost a bit of battery when compared to its predecessor and is now supported by 3430 mAh cell and 2.0 Quick charging.

For the enthusiasts, the new Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL will be available in 3 color variants including Clearly White, Not Pink, and Just Black. Coming to the pricing, the Google Pixel 3 will cost ₹71,000 and ₹80,000 for 64GB and 128GB respectively.

The notch variant Pixel 3 XL will cost ₹83,000 and ₹92,000 for 64GB and 128GB respectively.
Officially, the pre-order date is listed as 11th October in India. s are not listed yet but will be available both online and offline across the nation including Airtel Store, Bajaj Electronics, Croma, Flipkart, Reliance Digital etc.

What’s Your Opinion?

Leaving the larger notch display on top, the flagship Pixel 3 XL is an excellent upgrade. When the Apple iPhone X and the latest OnePlus 6T has got notch, you don’t need to bother. Just turn it off and enjoy the true Android experience with Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL.

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