The official Reliance Jio launch is still a few weeks away – the latest rumoured date is August 15 – but the Jio 4G SIM card is now available to almost all. Reliance Jio is currently offering the free data preview for the 4G SIM only with its Lyf brands of phones. The Reliance Jio preview offer was earlier available as referral program for Reliance employees but starting first week of June this offer was extended to all. The offer includes unlimited access for 90 days to Digital Life package, which offers unlimited voice calls, High speed data and SMS. The bundle also provides access to eight premium applications – which provide live TV, movies, TV shows, music, magazines, newspapers and cloud storage. The offer also comes with coupons worth INR 15,000 in JioMoney. Users will be able to avail the offer by purchasing any Lyf-branded smartphone, which starts at INR 3499.
Currently Indian telecom sector is marred by poor service and outrageous data prices. In absence good competition all telecom companies have indulged in practices that rarely put consumers first, especially when it comes to data services. But following the reliance Jio effect the telecom competitors like Airtel and Idea have started scrambling to prepare their response to the Jio services, which are likely to offer better connection speed as well as lower priced data.
Reliance Jio Effect #1
Airtel slashes pre-paid data tariffs
Airtel, which is already rolling out its 4G data services across the country, announced additional data benefits of as much as 67% on some of its data packs. Following the revised data benefits, the INR 455 4G/3G data pack will now offer 3 GB data against 2 GB earlier, an increase of 50%. Similarly, the INR 655 4G/3G data pack now offers 67% more data by increasing data benefit to 5 GB from 3 GB. The INR 989 4G/3G pack will now offer 10 GB data vs 6.5 GB earlier, offering 54% more benefits.
Reliance Jio Effect #2
Idea slashes mobile internet rates across India
On Friday, Idea too had slashed the data prices. Now Idea users can get up to 45% more data benefits on sachet packs below 1 GB. With this new offer, a 2G data pack which is priced at Rs. 19 will now offer 110 MB of data with a validity of 3 days. Previously the same pack offered only 75 MB 2G data. And consumers using 3G/4G data packs will now get 90 MB 3G data with a validity of 3 days for INR 22 instead of 65 MB.
