Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani dropped a proverbial bomb at the company’s AGM on 31 Aug 2016 when he revealed that all Reliance Jio plans will come with free voice calling, and data at a fraction of the cost offered by current telcos. Jio services will become available from 5 Sep 2016 absolutely free as part of the ‘Jio welcome offer‘, so everyone can try them at no charge.

Reliance Jio Prime and Non Prime Plans

Reliance Jio’s ‘New Year Offer’ – free voice, sms, apps and data – is due to expire on 31 March, 2017 and the company is finally gearing up to charge its customers by pushing ‘Jio Prime’ aka ‘unlimited maza…continue hoynga’ subscription plan which can be activated by paying a onetime fee of Rs 99, which activates the Jio prime membership valid till 31 March, 2018.

Reliance Jio Post paid plans

Overview of Reliance Jio

Starting 5 Sep 2016, Reliance Jio is giving away free SIM cards to everyone with unlimited free usage of the network until December 31 2016, and unlimited use of Jio’s different services, which include news, music, and video on demand. Overview of Reliance Jio offer is as follows:

Note:The unlimited offer actually has a 4GB daily limit on it. After 4GB daily, data speed will go down to 128Kbps. But 4GB is a lot more than people typically use on mobile data every day. The billing starts from 1st January 2017

• The Reliance Jio network is running entirely on 4G.  The Reliance Jio network already covers 18,000 cities and towns, and over 2 lakh villages.  Jio network not only supports 4G but is 5G and 6G ready too. Our article G in India : What is 4G? 4G Telecom Operators and 4G Mobile phones explains what is 4G? Evolution of Mobile technology From 1G to 5G? Should You go for 4G? 4G Networks in India with 4G bands. Which 4G Mobile Phone should you buy? Comparison of 4G phones.
• Reliance Jio is also a 100 percent VoLTE network – the largest in the world, according to Mukesh Ambani. VoLTE stands for Voice over LTE, by which you make voice calls over the data network. As an end user, nothing is really different – you still dial a number just like you always would, and during the preview offer at least, connections have been clear and reliable. But at the backend, even voice calls use data, compared to non-VoLTE networks, that treat data and voice differently.
• To access the network, you need a 4G compatible phone with VoLTE support. Reliance Retail’s lineup of Lyf phones offer a low cost option, starting from Rs. 2,999, though you can buy any phone that supports VoLTE and use it.
• If you are not ready to move away from your current phone, you can buy the JioFi portable Wi-Fi hotspot at Rs. 1,999 and take advantage of Jio’s plans as long as your phone supports Wi-Fi.
• Free voice calls and no roaming.  All voice calls for Jio customers will be absolutely free,Across India. To any network. Always. And no roaming charges also. Please note  Nothing in this world is free, same goes for Jio’s offerings. Reliance uses an all IP network, which means even voice transmission uses the data network .Thus while there might be no bill for voice calling, data bill will keep on accumulating even though a consumer might not actually use any data app. Also note  in the present system the receiver of a call does not pays for a call. But when voice is using the data pipeline both receiving party and calling party will pay because data gets consumed both ways.
• Reliance Jio is offering data plans at Rs. 50 per GB, though a look at the actual data prepaid plans shows that this isn’t 100 percent accurate. On the cheapest plan, Reliance offers 4GB of data for Rs. 499 – still a great deal, but not exactly Rs. 50 per GB. However, Reliance is also giving 8GB of Wi-Fi access at Jio Wi-Fi hotspots, and unlimited usage at night, so it definitely works out to a very reasonable amount, and under that Rs. 50/ GB figure once you factor that in.
• Reliance Jio offers free SMS. Jio will not follow the industry practice of blackout days – occasions like Diwali when free SMS offers are not applicable because the volume tends to be too high.
• Reliance Jio is also going to give free access to its various Jio apps. The full bouquet includes Jio’s video on demand service, its music streaming platform, and even a live TV service which allows you to view previously aired shows by scrolling back on the timeline. No one know how the pricing for these services will be structured, only that the full bouquet taken together will cost  Rs. 15,000 per year.
• eKYC for fast SIM activations : the process of getting Jio Sim car has been revised for eKYC, similar to Vodafone and Airtel. Soon any customer with an Aadhaar card will be able to walk out of a Jio store with a working connection in 15 minutes.

Two-thirds of India’s 1.3 billion population are not online, and Jio hopes to capture 100 million users – nearly half of India’s current smartphone users – within a year of launch.  Mukesh Ambani is betting at least $20 billion on building, from scratch, a national digital empire stretching from phones and hardware to home entertainment and custom-made apps. Jio is unlikely to contribute significantly to Reliance profits anytime soon, but is hugely significant for its future. Reliance says its oil business is pumping out cash, and any investment in Jio has to be ambitious.

That has led to formal complaints including to the Prime Minister’s Office from competitors like Bharti Airtel, who allege that Reliance has used valuable 4G or fourth-generation airwaves at no cost, offering customers full-blown services for free, while gypping the government of revenue and stealing customers from other carriers.

Reliance Jio Data charges

Reliance Jio is offering 7 monthly data plans both for prepaid users and postpaid users. For prepaid users there is also a plan where you pay Rs. 19 for 100MB of data, plus unlimited nighttime usage, with a single day’s validity. You also have a Rs. 129 plan with a 7 day validity offering 750MB and 1.5GB of Wi-Fi data, plus unlimited night usage, and a Rs. 229 plan which has a 21 day validity, for 2GB of data.    Unutilized free benefits will not be carried over at the end of validity period.

Prepaid tariffs are inclusive of all applicable taxes. On Postpaid tariffs applicable taxes will be charged. The Postpaid subscribers opting for the Auto-debit option using credit/debit cards/online transfer to pay their monthly mobile phone bill and opting for e-bill will be accorded an additional 15% discount on the bill value.

25% additional 4G and WiFi data benefits will be provided to students on providing a valid identity card, as per process.

Going by these plans, the rates are actually a little different from the Rs. 50 for 1GB that was announced. The cheapest plan is actually a lot more expensive – you get 300MB of data for Rs. 149, or around Rs. 450 per GB. However, with the other plans, once you count the Wi-Fi hotspot data as well, it does work out to the rate that was announced – for example, the Rs. 499 pack gives you a total of 12GB including Wi-Fi, which works out to approximately Rs. 42 per GB. The bigger packs do get cheaper this way, so for example, the most expensive Rs. 4,999 pack gives you 225GB of data including Wi-Fi, which works out to approximately Rs. 23 per GB. And this does not account for the unlimited 4G at night you will get as well.

Reliance Jio data charges

Terms and conditions of Reliance Jio Data plans are:
1. Voice is  free – no charge towards voice or the data used to make 4G voice calls.
2. “Unlimited at Night” pertains to data used between 2am – 5am.
3. Wi-Fi data benefits in the plans pertain to Wi-Fi data availed in the Public Wi-Fi hotspots of RJIL.
4. The subscribers can avail the above plans effective from 1st January 2017.
5. The data used by the consumers for Jio applications, Video calls and other content available on internet would be uniformly debited against plan data allocation.
6. Unutilized free benefits will be forfeited at the end of validity.
7. The prepaid packs with denominations Rs.19, Rs.129 and Rs.299 cannot be availed as a First recharge by new subscribers.
8. The above plans can only be availed by customers possessing a LTE compatible handset.

Comparison of Data Plans of Airtel, Vodafone and Idea

The tariff comparison is based on the plans mentioned on the official websites of Airtel, Vodafone, and Idea. Once you’ve consumed the data limit of the plan Airtel and Vodafone will charge you 4p/10kb, or Rs 4 per MB of data consumption. On the other hand, Reliance Jio will charge 5p/MB above data limit, which means only Rs 50 per GB of data!

Early Movers to Reliance Jio Will Gain as the billing starts from 1st January 2017. If you shift to Reliance Jio NOW then you can save on your next 4 months bill. The average bill (ARPU) of a mobile user in India is Rs 150. Therefore, a common user may stand to gain Rs 600 during initial FREE Period.

Most of the existing operators have already dropped their data tariff.There are rumors that telcos are offering 20% to 30% discounted tariff to users who are sending port out requests.

You may face network issues.

500MB 4G LTE Data

1GB 4G LTE Data

2GB 4G LTE Data

3GB 4G LTE Data

4GB 4G LTE Data

Maximum data plan offered

How to use MNP to shift to Reliance Jio

Instead of getting a new number, you can opt for mobile number portability (MNP) to shift to the Reliance Jio network without changing your phone number. In July 2014, DoT made it compulsory for telecom operators to roll out nationwide MNP, allowing users to keep their phone number even if they switched carriers or locations. Because of nation-wide MNP, subscribers of Airtel, Vodafone, Idea, and other telcos can shift to Reliance Jio and avail the free Preview Offer till end of the year without changing their number.

First up, you need to send a text message to your current operator requesting for a port out. The message PORT should be sent to 1900. In return, you will receive a Unique Porting Code from 1901 with 15 days validity from your current carrier.

Head to any Reliance Mobile Store or retailer and fill up the Customer Application Form (CAF) where you’ll also fill in the porting code. Submit the required documents (proof of address, proof of identity and photograph), and in return Reliance will issue a new Reliance Jio SIM card. Once activated, this SIM will use the same phone number you already had, and your old SIM will be deactivated. Locate and visit a Reliance Jio store to get a new Jio connection – Link.

The Reliance Jio SIM could take up to 7 days to activate, and a fee of Rs. 19 will be charged. During porting, your number might  be dead for about two hours (sometime between 10pm and 5am) before the new Reliance Jio SIM gets activated. Once your current SIM starts showing “No Service”, it’s likely time to put in your new Reliance Jio SIM.

Once ported, the Jio SIM should be activated, and remember you cannot use MNP to go back to your earlier operator or someone else for at least 90 days. In his AGM speech, Ambani requested all the other operators to not limit customers’ right to migrate to Jio using MNP.

Reliance  JioNet network of Wi-Fi hotspots

Reliance Jio is now in the process of rolling out Wi-Fi hotspots across India. By the middle of 2017, it plans to have 1 million Wi-Fi hotspots across the country, and it’s offering Wi-Fi data in the 4G plans it offers; for example, if your plan is for 4GB, you get 8GB of Wi-Fi access as well, while the top 75GB plan gets 150GB of additional data via Wi-Fi hotspots. These hotspots are coming up at schools, colleges, and other public places.

App JioNet lets you connect to Reliance Jio public hotspots. The Jio data connections come with Wi-Fi data bundled. After hitting your limit the charge is Rs. 50 per GB

To make use of these hotspots, you need to download the JioNet app which is available on both iOS and Android through the MyJio app. Once you’ve installed it, JioNet prompts you to add a connection widget so you can instantly connect to a hotspot but this is optional.

The app uses your location data to show you nearby hotspots, and adds the Jio public Wi-Fi profile so that you can seamlessly connect to nearby Wi-Fi networks without having to enter any settings. Next, you’re taking to the account manager – yes, you have to have a Jio account to make use of the Jio Wi-Fi. The JioNet app automatically takes login data from the MyJio app, but you can add other accounts. This means that you have to be a Jio subscriber in order to make use of JioNet public Wi-Fi, but you donot need the SIM in your device in order to connect – much like the other Jio apps. We signed in with our primary Jio ID, and the screen shows that we’re not connected. To connect manually, go to your Wi-Fi settings, and connect to JioNet Wi-Fi and it starts metering your usage. To find a nearby hotspot, first go into the menu inside the JioNet app, and then tap the Find JioNet Hotspots option. This shows a map view showing all the nearby hotspots. You can pinch and zoom to find the nearest hostpots but as of now, the rollout is very limited.

Reliance Jio hotspots

Volte Phones which can use Reliance Jio

The entire Reliance Jio network runs on data, which means even voice calls are data-powered. so you will need a VoLTE capable phone to make calls on the Jio network. You can still use 4G phones that support Jio’s LTE band, but you will not be able to make calls unless your phone supports VoLTE. Reliance Jio is offering app-based workarounds to let you call any number on such cases, but to enjoy the true Jio experience, you need to have a VoLTE use to make the most of the network.

Entire rangle of Reliance Retail’s Lyf-branded smartphones are VoLTE-enabled and ready to use on the Jio network. Reliance Jio’s list of phones that support VoLTE.  Here are some of VoLTE-capable phones for the full Reliance Jio experience:

• Apple iPhone 6, Apple iPhone 6 Plus, Apple iPhone 6S, Apple iPhone 6S Plus, Apple iPhone SE
• Asus ZenFone Pegasus 3
• Gionee F103 Pro, Gionee Pioneer P5L (2016), Gionee M5 Plus, Gionee S6
• Honor 5A
• HTC 10, HTC Desire 524, HTC Desire 526,HTC Desire EYE, HTC J butterfly, HTC One (M8), HTC One M9
• Huawei Ascend D2 LTE,Huawei Ascend P7, Huawei Google Nexus 6P
• Intex Aqua 4G Strong, Intex Aqua Power 4G, Intex Aqua Secure, Intex Aqua Shine 4G, Intex Cloud String HD
• Karbonn Aura Power, Karbonn Quattro L55 HD
• Lava A71 4G, Lava A88,Lava X38,Lava X46
• LeEco Le 2,LeEco Le 2 Pro
• Lenovo A6000 Plus, Lenovo A6600
• LG G Flex,LG G Flex 2,LG G Pro,LG G2,LG G3, LG G4
• Lumia 550, Lumia 640,Lumia 640XL,Lumia 735,Lumia 830,Lumia 950,Lumia 950XL
• Moto G (Gen. 3),Moto G4,Moto G4 Plus,Motorola Google Nexus 6
• Oneplus 3
• Oppo A59, Oppo F1, Oppo F1 Plus
• Panasonic Eluga A2,Panasonic Eluga Arc,Panasonic Eluga Arc 2,Panasonic Eluga I2,Panasonic Eluga I3
• Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016),Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016),Samsung Galaxy A7,Samsung Galaxy Avant,Samsung Galaxy Core Prime etc
• Sony Xperia A4,Sony Xperia M4 Aqua Dual,Sony Xperia SP,Sony Xperia Z2,Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet,Sony Xperia Z3 etc
• Vivo Y21L
• Xiaomi Mi 5,Xiaomi Mi Max,Xiaomi Redmi 3S.Xiaomi Redmi 3S Prime,Xiaomi Redmi Note 3
• Xolo Era 4G,Xolo Era X
• Yu Yuphoria
• ZTE Blade A2

Reliance Lyf Phones

Lyf is Reliance Retail’s brand of smartphones run Google’s Android operating system that was launched in India in 2016 and now these phones are available with free Reliance Jio SIM and its preview offer. Lyf phones come preloaded with Reliance Jio apps like my Jio, Jio express news, Jio chat, Jionet Hotspot, and others. The four sub-brands are Earth, Water, Wind, and Flame.

The Lyf phones are not good value for money, there are heating issues, really poor battery back up,battery discharges very fast especially if used as hotspot , no google services, poor voice quality and if you install 3–4 third party apps ( coz google play is not available) you end up in system crash or hang.. They also lose out to the phones sold by companies like Samsung, Lenovo and Xiaomi in the Indian market.

Flame 3, Flame 4, Flame 5 and Flame 6: At Rs 2,999 the Flame 3, Flame 4, Flame 5 and Flame 6 are the cheapest Jio 4G VoLTE smartphones that you can buy right now. They come with dualSIM card support, a 1.5GHz processor quad-core processor and support for up to 10 Indian languages. The difference between various models is small, in most cases battery.

Flame 1 and Flame 2: Priced at Rs 4,999 and Rs 3,599 respectively, these phones get slightly better hardware. The Flame 2 has more storage (8GB) and more RAM (1GB) compared to the cheaper Flame phones, although screen size remains the same at 4 inches. The Flame 1, meanwhile, gets you bigger screen (4.5 inches) and a Qualcomm 210 processor compared to what you get with the cheaper Flame phones.

• Lyf Flame 8 :Rs.4,199
• Lyf Flame 1 : Rs.4,090
• Lyf Flame 3 : Rs.3,999
• Lyf Flame 2 : Rs.3,599
• Lyf Flame 6 : Rs.3,500
• Lyf Flame 5 :Rs.3,299

Wind 1, Wind 4, Wind 5 and Wind 6: The Wind phones are all have a 5-inch screen, although the better hardware — higher resolution HD screen, Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor and 16GB internal storage, is only available in the expensive model.

• Lyf Wind 3 : Rs.6,999
• Lyf Wind 4 : Rs.6,531
• Lyf Wind 1 : Rs.6,266
• Lyf Wind 5 : Rs.5,499
• Lyf Wind 6 :  Rs.5,399

Water 1, Water 2, Water 5 and Water 7: Priced at Rs 14,699, Rs 9,699, Rs 7,599 and Rs 12,999 respectively, the Water phones have better screens and the more powerful hardware. In fact, the Water 1, which is the most expensive model, uses Qualcomm Snapdragon 615. These phones also have better designs.

• Lyf Water 1 : Rs.13,275
• Lyf Water 8 : Rs.10,799
• Lyf Water 7 : Rs.9,689
• Lyf Water 2 : Rs.9,499
• Lyf Wind 2: Rs.8,415
• Lyf Water 5 :Rs.7,599

Earth 1 and Earth 2: Rs 19,499 and Rs 19,999 respectively. The Earth 2 is the company’s costliest phone that comes with dualSIM, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor along with a 13-megapixel rear camera with phase detection autofocus. These are the “premium” phones from Jio.

• Lyf Earth 2 : Rs.18,862
• Lyf Earth 1 : Rs.15,999

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What was expected from Reliance was that it would come to the market with a bang, and it did not disappoint. Prima facie the tariffs look disruptive resulting in analysts reducing earning forecast of other players in the sector like Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular. There are still a lot of uncertainties that needs to be taken into account. First and perhaps the most important factor is the quality of service. The real test of the impact Reliance Jio will be making in the market will be post December 2016 when the current plan of freebies expire. Will Reliance Jio disrupt the market with 4G? Will people opt for Jio service, use it during the FREE period and then throw it away?