Reliance Jio looks set to launch its highly awaited 4G network soon. Jio did host an employee launch back in December 2015, but full-fledged commercial services are expected to roll out some time in 2016. Ahead of the launch, Jio seems to have taken an interesting technological route with regards to activation of SIM Cards.
Many retailers have reported the presence of a new item called, 'Scanbox.' These are being seen at various Reliance Digital stores across India. The box has LED lights and a small opening on the top to place the smartphone's camera. The smartphone has an app that lets the retailers scan and attach files.
The person in charge of working on these devices has to click photos of the Customer Acquisition Form (CAF) in addition to the photo ID proof. These are then uploaded directly to Reliance Jio's servers. Once the details are uploaded, the Reliance Jio connection will be activated within minutes. This is unlike other carriers that take a few hours to activate a new connection. This is a welcome step in a country where people are very enthusiastic to get connected to the internet and embark upon their digital journey.
What's also interesting to note is that the company has also tried with various handset makers to launch its own brand of smartphones. Titled, 'LYF' the 4G/LTE compatible smartphones range in price from Rupees six thousand to upwards of twenty thousand. To begin with, the Reliance Jio 4G connection will be offered with LYF-branded smartphones. However, it is not clear if the company plans to introduce standalone SIM cards anytime soon. It also has a portable Wi-Fi JioFi device that can connect to 10 devices simultaneously. Reliance Jio will also offer high bandwidth data plans at extremely low prices.
Other Digital Services
What makes Jio a unique player in the telecom space is that it's not offering just LTE services. In addition to the highly awaited fourth generation mobile network (For which it holds pan-India license), Jio has also invested highly in other digital services such as cloud storage, on-demand music and video streaming. That's not all, with approval from RBI for payment banks and RIL being one of those entities getting the approval for the same, we could potentially see this make an entry at some point.
New products and services are not limited just to Jio. Reliance Digital has launched LYF-branded 4K LED SMART TVs at the start of 2016. These television sets are some of the thinnest TV's in the world and the operating system they run on is Android KitKat OS. These are priced between Rs 65,990 to Rs 199,990.
While the launch of Jio may have been delayed, the company is doing all within its powers to ensure that its customers have the best services and the best experience.
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