Chinese smartphone maker Oppo has partnered with Reliance Jio for extending the network’s Welcome Offer to its select handsets. Users can now access 4G services provided by the Indian company on devices like the F1, F1 Plus, F1s, A37 and Neo 7 from the brand’s stable, as told to PTI.
The Jio Welcome Offer consists of free LTE services till December 31. Consumers can get benefits like unlimited HD voice and video calling, unrestricted SMS and high speed 4G data. The deal is also a gateway to the network’s specific apps like JioPlay and JioBeats.
Users can access Jio’s services on LTE-supported smartphones from companies like Samsung, LG, Sony, Gionee, Vivo and Asus among many others. Oppo is the latest brand in the Indian market to join hands with Reliance over its 4G services.
Jio’s soft launch has stirred both the smartphone and the telecom industry in India. While service providers are competing to offer data at the lowest prices, there is a spate of new LTE devices in the country. It has been predicted that this wave is not going to lapse anytime soon due to increasing interest in the technology’s capabilities.
While Jio is partnering with handset brands to gain customers, it is also facing several problems of its own on the service end. Users have made complaints about call drops on the network, and Reliance is collaborating with other telecom operators to secure its share of supporting infrastructure on the 4G spectrum.
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There have also been mixed reactions to the Jio Welcome Offer as users were reportedly downgraded to a daily data allowance of 4GB. This is likely to have made potential customers of the network wary about investing in its SIM. The high demand for access to its services is also not being fulfilled because Reliance is giving out only a limited number of SIM cards daily.
With all of these problems on one side, Jio is still rapidly promoting itself through various schemes. The company is planning to tie up with more smartphone brands for expanding its base. Only time will tell if the network will hold on to its promise or fizzle out in the process.