Telecom operator, Reliance Jio confirmed that it is working with Realme and other organisations to bring down the prices of 4G devices and other connected devices. This news is confirmed by Reliance Jio's president for devices and mobility, Sunil Dutt, at the India Mobile Congress 2020. In the past, we have seen telecom operators working with Indian smartphone companies like Celkon, Karbonn, etc., to lower the prices of entry-level devices. However, that strategy did not work for the telcos and device manufacturers alike. It seems like telcos are looking to try the same strategy once again, but this time, they are going with the Chinese brands.
Jio-Realme Partnership: What to Expect?
Carrier tie-ups are very popular in western countries, however, that isn't the case in India. Reliance Jio tried to offer a buyback scheme on iPhones in the past, but again, it was a one-time tryout from the company. Speaking with PTI during IMC 2020, Sunil Dutt of Reliance Jio said there's a requirement to provide affordable devices that will allow the 2G users to get a 4G or 5G handset.
"Reliance as an organisation...we have done in the past for 4G where benefits of connectivity were made far more affordable through JioPhones. On the other 4G devices, we are working with Realme and other organisations to try and make devices more affordable for people," Dutt said according to PTI. Realme started operations back in 2018 and has similar strategy to that of Reliance Jio.
Furthermore, the president added Jio is not only looking at the mobile phone segment but also working on to bring other connected devices at affordable prices.
At the IMC 2020, Reliance Jio said it is looking to launch 5G services in the second half of 2021. Jio also stressed how important is 5G for India and asked the government to price the spectrum reasonably. Besides Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea are also said to be working hard to establish partnerships with smartphone brands to provide bundled handsets.
