With just one day to go for the Jio Phone beta tests to start, the Reliance 4G feature phone is on the top of everyone's mind. But unless you are part of a select group, you probably won't get your hands on the mobile phone in the first phase of its availability. For most of us, August 4 is the date for Jio Phone bookings to open, and thankfully the device will be delivered on first come, first serve basis. Of course, this means you will have to be expedient in making your Jio Phone pre-order, online or offline, so that you can get hands on it early once it starts shipping in September. Wondering how to book Jio Phone online or offline, which documents you would need, and how to order more than one unit of the 4G feature phone? We have all the answers here.
For Jio Phone bookings online, you can check the MyJio app on August 24. Till then, you can sign up for updates on the Jio.com website, clicking on Keep Me Posted, and filling the required details. As is the case with Jio SIM cards, you need an Aadhaar number for the Jio Phone registration. Individuals can only book one Jio Phone unit against their Aadhaar.
If you want to book more than one Jio Phone, you can place the pre-order in the name of your business. To do this, you will have to give your organisation's PAN or GSTN number as the business owner. You will be able to specify how many units of the phone you want to purchase, with the highest tier being '50 & Above' for bulk orders. Once you register your details, you will receive the details around Jio Phone launch on your mobile phone via SMS, and on email.
If you do not have access to the MyJio app, you can opt for the offline Jio Phone booking process by heading to an offline Jio retailer on August 24. Remember though, the handset will be delivered to you in September, even if you pre-ordered it on the first day bookings open. The company says it will deliver the 4G feature phone on first come, first serve basis, and that it aims to deliver 5 million units each week. More details are expected to come as the release date draws near.
Jio Phone is free, according to Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani. Nevertheless, it requires the user to make an upfront payment of Rs. 1,500, which is refundable after three years. Regarding the Rs. 1,500 security deposit, he had said at the AGM, "The security deposit is necessary to avoid any potential misuse of data."
To recap on the Jio Phone, the entry-level phone will come with unlimited voice, data, and texts. Customers will have to recharge with a Jio Dhan Dhana Dhan monthly pack of Rs. 153, which will give them free voice, texts, unlimited data (high-speed data capped at 500MB per day), and free access to Jio apps for 28 days. At the 40th AGM, Ambani also announced an accessory "Jio Phone TV-Cable" that will allow users to connect their phones with any kind of television sets. For connecting phone to TV, users will have to recharge with Rs. 309 per month pack for large screen.
Talking about Jio Phone features, the device comes with an alphanumeric keypad, 2.4-inch display with QVGA display, microSD card slot, torchlight, FM radio. It will be a single SIM handset that works only on 4G VoLTE networks. The phone supports voice commands and 22 Indian languages, and has a panic button as well. A short demo of the voice command feature on Jio Phone was showcased during the keynote presentation where the device was able to play music via Jio Music. Additionally, the handset will also come with a panic button that is enabled when long-pressing the number 5. Moreover, the Jio phone will come with advanced NFC support for digital payments that will be rolled out to users via OTA software upgrade. Qualcomm and Spreadtrum have confirmed their chips power the new feature phone.
The phone does not have WhatsApp support at the moment, though we did catch glimpse of a web browser, Facebook, and PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat broadcast during the unveiling at the Reliance AGM.