The Silicon Review ^Asia

Already creating a buzz in the market, Reliance Jio is again expected to launch a series of 4G VoLTE phones in India which will be priced between Rs 1000 – Rs 5000. Additionally, the all new devices will be bundled with unlimited voice and video calling and digital content such as Jio Chat, Live TV and video on demand. The company may launch these devices early 2017.

According to Economic Times, the Mukesh Ambani-owned company is seeking to win over customers from the rural and tier-III markets who use phones primarily to make calls. At the moment, Jio is the only telecom company in India that has added over 25 million users since starting its services on September 5.

Feature- The features of the phones are rumored to include a Spreadtrum 9820 processor, front-facing and rear cameras, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and a large display. However, the report suggests that the phone will not to be enabled with touch screen. The report further added that the company is working with domestic handset maker Lava International and Chinese original equipment makers to manufacture these feature phones. People familiar with the matter said that the initial batch of devices could have branding from both Jio and Lava and will be sold through their respective retail channels to reach a wider market.

Previous reports pointed out that Reliance Jio Infocomm will install around 45,000 mobile towers in the next six months to boost its 4G network. The company has said that it has plans to invest Rs 1 lakh crore over a period of 4 years and the new towers are part of this investment. Jio said that it has made all effort to provide a good consumer experience but non-availability of point of interconnection from Airtel, Vodafone and Idea has led to high call failure rate on its network.