Reliance Jio 4G services from today: Everything you need to know

NEW DELHI: Consumers across the country can avail Reliance Jio's services from today, as the company opens its doors to all potential users having any 4G-enabled handset in an aggressive quest to garner 100 million subscribers. According to sources, the Jio SIM -- which so far was available only at Reliance Digital stores -- will now also be offered through multi-brand outlets and mobile phone shops. "The SIMs will be available at nearly two lakh stores across the country, including locations where SIMs from other vendors are also sold," sources said. A major beneficiary of the offer would be users of devices like iPhone, Xiaomi, Motorola and Lenovo who were not a part of the preview offer so far. RJio, which had already roped in 1.5 million users in the test phase, is gunning for 100 million users at the shortest possible time. Nearly 20 brands including Sony, Sansui, Videocon, LG, Samsung, Micromax, Panasonic, Asus, TCL, Alcatel, HTC, Intex, Vivo, Gionee, Karbonn and Lava were part of the preview offer which provided free 90-day unlimited calls and high-speed mobile broadband trials to 4G smartphone users of these brands. The offer is now being rebranded as a 'welcome offer', which from September 5 will provide unlimited services till up to December 31, after which users have been promised voice calls - both local and STD - as well as roaming free of cost, for life. The data charges are also pegged as low as Rs 50 per GB, compared to Rs 250 a GB prevailing in the market. The process of procuring the SIM, said sources, will now be simpler with eKYC, which does not require consumers to physically fill out lengthy forms and wait for an equally lengthy verification process. The form filling and verification is done using Aadhaar data and the customer's fingerprint and the facility is being rolled out at various locations. "At the time of taking the SIM, consumers will have to choose plans - pre-paid or postpaid - and they will continue to get free services till December 31, after which tariff plans opted for will become applicable," sources said. The company has introduced 10 tariff plans beginning with a one-day plan at Rs 19 for occasional data users going all the way up to Rs 4,999 a month for heavy data users. Reliance is also offering a Jio apps bouquet worth Rs 15,000, complimentary to all active Jio customers up to December 31, 2017. In the Rs 19 prepaid plan, users will get 100 MB data and 100 SMSes for a day, apart from unlimited free voice calling. The Rs 149 plan, available for both prepaid and postpaid users, will offer 300 MB data and 100 SMSes with a validity of about a month. Under the Rs 4,999 plan, users will get 75GB of 4G data as well as unlimited 4G access at night for a period of 28 days or one month for prepaid and postpaid users, respectively. Other plans would be available for Rs 129 (prepaid only), Rs 299 (prepaid only), Rs 499, Rs 999, Rs 1,499, Rs 2,499, and Rs 3,999.