JioPhone bookings to start tomorrow: everything you need to know

The much awaited JioPhone will be up for pre-booking from tomorrow and users will be able to book the device both online and offline. It is a feature phone from Reliance Jio that comes with 4G VoLTE support and offers unlimited voice calling, SMS and data at just Rs. 153 per month.

To recall, the JioPhone was launched on July 21 at the 40th AGM of Reliance Industries and comes with an effective price of Rs. 0 as the amount paid while buying the JioPhone will be refunded after a period of three years.

With just a few hours left before the official pre-orders begin, there might be a lot of questions in your mind. Below is everything you need to know about the JioPhone.

Reliance JioPhone beta testing begins on August 15

JioPhone specifications

At the launch of the JioPhone, the company had also announced that support for linking bank account, Jan Dhan account, UPI account and Debit/Credit cards will be added in the future with an automatic software upgrade.

The JioPhone features a 2.4-inch QVGA display with an alphanumeric T9 keypad placed below the display. It will come in two processor variants, with the first variant being powered by a Spreadtrum chipset and the second variant by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 205 mobile platform.

It comes with 4G VoLTE support, a microSD card slot, camera, headphone jack, torchlight and FM Radio. The device also comes with an SOS feature and when you long press the number 5, an SOS message is sent to your emergency contacts.

JioPhone also features voice recognition that allows users to make calls, send messages and play videos of their choice using voice commands. To facilitate digital payments, it will come with Tap and Pay support via NFC.

JioPhone TV-Cable

The JioPhone will also come with a cable TV accessory that can be used to connect the device to your TV and then stream content from JioTV and JioCinema. To use this, you will have to buy the accessory separately and then recharge with a Rs. 309 pack which will allow you to watch 3 to 4 hours of video every day. This accessory will be compatible with all TVs including CRTs and will allow mirroring of content from the phone to the TV.

JioPhone pricing

The JioPhone has been priced at Rs. 1,500 but this amount is completely refundable after a period of three years. While taking the device, users will have to a pay a sum of Rs. 1,500 and they can get this back once they return the device to the company after a period of three years. So essentially, you are getting the device for free.

JioPhone plans

While you get the device for free, you will have to pay a monthly fee of Rs. 153. The JioPhone comes with a special plan of Rs. 153 under which you will get unlimited voice, SMS and 4G data usage. The mobile data comes with an FUP limit of 500MB and after this, the speeds will be reduced to 128 Kbps. However, there is no limit on voice calls and SMS apart from the usual limit of 100 SMSs per day. Users will also get free access to Jio’s suite of apps.

JioPhone pre-booking

The JioPhone pre-bookings will start from tomorrow and it is expected that there will be a lot of demand for this device so you need to hurry because a delay in booking may a cause a delay in delivery of the device. The company has put in place three methods for pre-booking the device.

Online booking

The easiest way to pre-book the device is from Reliance Jio’s website itself. All you need to do is go to the company’s website and enter your details. If you wish to get this device for yourself, select ‘Individual’. Now, you will be required to enter your name, email, phone number and pin code.

If you want to pre-book multiple devices for your business, you need to select ‘Business’ and then you need to provide details such as contact name, company name, pin code, PAN/GSTN number, email, phone number and number of devices required.

SMS booking

You can also book your device by sending an SMS. To do this, you need to send an SMS in the following format.

JP <PIN CODE> <Store code>

Send the above message to 7021170211.

In the above message, you will have to find and enter the Jio store code by visiting the nearest Jio store or a Reliance Digital outlet.

Offline booking

Another way of booking the JioPhone is by going to the store itself. You will have to visit the nearest Reliance Digital or Jio store or other authorized Jio retailers and submit a copy of your Aadhaar card along with your contact details. It is advisable to carry a copy of your Aadhar card as you may be required to submit it.

Quantity restrictions

Individual customers can book only one JioPhone, however bulk orders can be made by businesses. As seen on jio.com, businesses can register for more than 50 devices after submitting their PAN or GSTN number.

Documents required

If you are getting a JioPhone for yourself, all you require is your Aadhaar card. If you want to get devices for your business, you will be required to submit either your PAN number or GSTN number.

Availability

Coming to the availability of the device, it will be available from September 1 and the customers who pre-book the JioPhone early will be the first ones to get their hands on the device. To recall, while announcing the device, the company had claimed that it aims to deliver over 5 million devices per week across the country.

JioPhone competition

Other operators such as Airtel and Idea have announced that they will be launching a smartphone priced around Rs. 2,500 to compete with the JioPhone. What sets them apart from the JioPhone is that they will run on Android OS and come with dual SIM support. It must be noted that these operators are only in initial talks and they may or may not launch these devices.