Experts of the telecom industry are calling the JioBharat V2 Phone a gamechanger for the industry, as it will bring affordable 4G high speed internet to a lot of people. Suhel Seth, the Chairman of CII Branding and Marketing Committee, calls it ’empowerment at its best.’

Reliance Jio, the telecommunications division of Reliance Industries Ltd, a conglomerate involved in oil and retail, launched a platform for ultra-budget internet-enabled 4G phones under the banner ‘JioBharat’ phones, which are available for purchase starting at a price of Rs 999.

Experts from the telecom industry are calling the platform and the two devices launched as JioBharat a game-changer, given how it stands to revolutionise the adoption of 4G and take Indian feature phone users away from 2G.

Suhel Seth, Chairman, CII Branding and Marketing Committee, and Managing Partner at Counselage India, expressed that Reliance has consistently shown a dedication to serving all Indians, regardless of their caste, colour, creed, or income.

“The JioBharat phone is about digital democracy and empowerment at its best. It’s about making everything everyone able to do what they want through their phones. In many ways, just like when Mukesh Ambani launched Jio in 2016, this launch is a similar day in the history of Indian telecom and the digitisation history of India.” he added.

“They are platform-agnostic and wholly consumer-centric,” he said. “… they are empowering every Indian to make the choices they couldn’t make either because of limitations of money or access. In one swoop, both have been marginalised. Today you have affordable access of the highest kind,” said Suhel.

Jio has introduced the phone with a vision of achieving a “2G-free India” and aims to cater to the existing 250 million feature phone users in the country by providing them with internet-enabled phones, according to Jio.

In many ways, this phone represents Mukesh Ambani’s vision of a “2G-free India,” as it seeks to accelerate the obsolescence of 2G phones.

“When Jio was launched in 2016, it forced the market to undergo price correction and behaviour correction. The previous telecom operators’ arrogance vanished overnight because Jio presented them with a challenge in terms of both price and performance. Today, we are witnessing another significant day where the price and performance of this phone will surpass what is currently available,” Seth commented.

Jio stated that this phone offers the “lowest entry price for an internet-enabled phone.” Additionally, customers purchasing the handset will be eligible for a “30 per cent cheaper monthly plan” and receive “7 times more data compared to feature phone offerings from other operators,” as mentioned in the release.

Jio’s launch aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of achieving a digitally empowered India.

“… in many ways, they are an egalitarian world in India with affordable prices,” Seth remarked.

This introduction establishes a standard for future products and services in sectors where affordability is crucial, Seth mentioned. He further stated that Reliance will adhere to the same principles in every category it operates, implying that similar initiatives can be expected in Jio, FMCG, and other sectors.

“Expect more of this in Jio, in FMCG, and others. Reliance is India’s original disruptor… it’s a disruption with added value. They not only disrupt the market, they create it.” Seth said.