Reliance offers 300 minutes of app-to-app calling at Re1 across India For Delhi-NCR
Reliance communication Ltd (R-Com) announced on Tuesday 300 minutes of app-to-app calling at Rs.1 across India and the world at 10 minutes per day for 30 days using new Reliance 4G LTE (long-term evolution) SIM.
The offer is valid only for Delhi-NCR (National Capital Region) users, where Reliance 4G customers will get data credit of 7 MB (megabytes), enabling them to make such calls. This is an introductory offer and a trial run valid for a month which the company claims gives freedom from call drop for Reliance users in Delhi-NCR. Post the trial offer; the consumer will have to purchase 200 MB at a price of Rs.39.
“Rcomm’s 4G LTE network in the 850 MHz (megahertz) spectrum band considered worldwide as the most optimal frequency for next gen voice and data services will provide an unparalleled user experience,” said the company in a statement guaranteeing zero call drops on their network, adding that “the new plan will enable Reliance 4G customers to make calls worldwide through various popular data based-apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook messenger, Skype, Google Hangouts, IMO and Viber among others.”
“Almost 80% of the internet consumption in the world happens indoor, so there is a need for such spectrum which is sufficient for such use. Using efficient spectrum band of 850 MHz we will eliminate problem of call drop from Delhi NCR on our powerful network. On our network, 5% of the 3G users don’t make calls, they only do app-to-app calling,” said Gurdeep Singh, chief executive of R-Com.
R-Com already had 4G networks in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, now extending to Delhi. The company hinted that the next area for 4G network expansion would be somewhere in southern India.
On the ongoing data tariff war among telcos, Gurdeep Singh said, “We have no plans to cut tariffs and our focus is to deliver good service. This investment is not for short term but for a longer period.”
He declined to comment on Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd offering cheaper and faster 4G data especially when the unique selling proposition of both the companies is on similar lines for voice and data.
The duo got the department of telecommunication (DoT) approval for spectrum sharing deal in nine circles in the 850 MHz band in April 2016.
The R-Com chief executive also said the firm is evaluating participation in the upcoming spectrum auction. “700 MHz ecosystem is not ready but to any operator to give good 4G LTE service sub GHz network is must and we have pan India 850 MHz spectrum presence,” he said.
R-Com’s 850 Mhz band expires in 2021; however, post its merger with Sistema Shyam Teleservices, the validity of spectrum in eight circles extended till 2033.