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Reliance Jio Completes Half a Decade, This Is What Changed In Terms of Voice and Data
Airtel Black Users Can Get 30 Days of Free Service
Mi Smart Band 6 Review: Fit, Fine and Revolutionary
BSNL 4G Hits Another Roadblock Despite Getting NSCS Nod
Vodafone Idea, Jio or Airtel, Whose Disney+ Hotstar Plans Best

Reliance Jio Completes Half a Decade, This Is What Changed In Terms of Voice and Data

Posted: 05 Sep 2021 10:10 AM PDT

Reliance Jio has completed 5 years in India. Everyone knows how good the telco has been. In a short span of 5 years, overcoming the competition and entering into a different league is something that only be dreamed of, but Reliance Jio has done that. Since the time the telco came to the market, the internet penetration has increased by 312%, from 192.30 million broadband subscribers in September 2016 to 792.78 million broadband subscribers in June 2021 (TRAI data). This has largely been possible because of the low data rates introduced by Jio and the proliferation of 4G smartphones in India.

Data Cost Came Down by Over 93% Since Jio Came

In the October-December, 2016 period, the data cost in India was around Rs 160/GB. But almost five years down the line, in January-March, 2021 period, the data cost has dipped to Rs 10.77/GB (TRAI data). Even Indians are consuming more data than ever. The total data consumption per user/per month has increased to 12.33GB in January-March, 2021, as compared to 878.63MB in October-December, 2016. This is a jump of 1,303% in data consumption. Even voice call consumption by the users has seen a huge jump. Users started consuming over 164% more voice calling in January-March, 2021, as compared to October-December, 2016. Voice calling had to see a major jump because it was essentially made free by the operators with their unlimited plans. The only major cost that a user had to for was data. With voice calling free, the rise in consumption doesn't surprise. Even the number of unicorn startups in India increased by 430%, from 10 in 2016 to 53 as of June 2021. The entry of Reliance Jio has truly been revolutionary, and it has changed how Indians consume internet services, and it has also contributed in a major way to boost the digital ecosystem in India. Reliance Jio is further in the drive to launch 5G as soon as possible which will further add to digitisation in India.

Airtel Black Users Can Get 30 Days of Free Service

Posted: 05 Sep 2021 06:17 AM PDT

Bharti Airtel, the second-largest telecom operator in India, recently announced its bundled service offer called the Airtel Black. It is very similar to that of One Airtel. But it is a step up since Airtel Black is available for customers around the country, while One Airtel plans were only available in select cities of the country. Now, Bharti Airtel is offering 30 days worth of free service to Airtel Black customers. But of course, there are a few terms and conditions revolving around the offer which you must know.

Bharti Airtel Offering Airtel Black Users 30 days of Free Service

First of all, note that Bharti Airtel is offering three different services under its Airtel Black plans. Users have the option to choose either two or more services to be eligible for the offer. But to be a part of the Airtel Black family, there should be at least one primary postpaid connection available. Users can top that postpaid plan with either a Direct-to-Home (DTH) connection or a fiber broadband connection, or both. So how do you get 30 days of free service from Airtel? Here's the answer. Airtel Black customers can get 30 days of free service when they add a new service to their existing service. This means, if the user is already on the postpaid mobile service from the telco and wants to add another service, including a DTH connection or a fiber connection, or both will get the new service for free for one month. Since there are a lot of plans in the DTH offering of the telco, the company has decided to offer the Rs 465 plan for free to the users. But that's not all that users get with the Airtel Black. One of the biggest long-term benefits of being an Airtel Black customer is getting priority service from the company, and also, users will get a single bill for all the services from the company.

Mi Smart Band 6 Review: Fit, Fine and Revolutionary

Posted: 05 Sep 2021 03:55 AM PDT

Mi Smart Bands have created a unique brand in the fitness industry. A multitude of small pieces of machines, computers, and components have been assembled together to create this fine piece of art. I have been using the Mi Smart Band 6 for well over 2 weeks now, and I can't explain in words just how satisfied I am with the overall experience, but I will try my best. The Mi Smart Band 6 was recently launched in India. Yes, a lot of heads turned around when the company revealed the price, but after using the gadget for over 2 weeks, I can safely say you won't be overpaying for the product.

Mi Smart Band 6 Review: Body, Design, and Display

The Mi Smart Band 6 retains the design of the Mi Band 5. But its display is so much more when compared to the previous generation displays. The high-grade silicone strap feels very comfortable around the wrist. It doesn't move at all, even when I am running very fast or jumping again and again. The overall Smart Band is very light on the wrist, and sometimes you will even forget that you are wearing it, which is a huge bonus if you plan to wear it at night to track your sleep. The Mi Smart Band 6 comes with charging ports at the bottom of the tracker. Since they are magnetic, you will find connecting the charger a very convenient experience. The Mi branding is at the bottom, so you get a very clean look at the top. The strap looks very durable, but only time will tell if it will sustain the pressure of daily activities for a long time. Mi Band

Coming to the display, you get a 1.56-inch AMOLED display which is a major upgrade from the 1.1-inch display that the Mi Band 5 came with. The colours on display are totally amazing, and the brightness is very satisfying. You can change the watch face directly through the band or by using the mobile application. There's tempered glass at the top to ensure that your screen doesn't get damaged, and since it also has an anti-fingerprint coating, you won't have to struggle to see contents on display even under direct sunlight. The bigger display is very good because it allows users to interact with the screen very easily. Since there's no button, the bigger screen comes in very handy. I just wish Xiaomi can increase the refresh rate of the displays so that the very minimal but noticeable stutters go away. This is something for the company to consider before rolling out the Mi Smart Band 7 or the Mi Band 7.

Mi Smart Band 6 Review: Performance, Activity Tracking, and Battery

The Mi Smart Band 6 has been on my wrists for over 2 weeks now. The band is still running but is almost on the verge of asking for a charge. This just proves the company's claim that it can run up to 2 weeks in a full charge comfortably. That's something I really like. I didn't see the Smart Band lagging or being stuck after getting a command. Every swipe and tapping on a button is an ultra-smooth experience. It can intelligently track multiple activities and let you know how much you have been moving throughout your day. The best part is just how accurate it is when it comes to activity tracking. I am an avid runner, and I have taken the Smart Band on multiple runs and have found the tracking to be accurate always. Accurate tracking is a very important thing because even with Rs 10,000 Smartwatches today, you don't get very accurate activity tracking. The screen comes to life as soon as I touch it, and there are absolutely no delays. The presence of the SpO2 sensor is just a good thing today when the world is dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. There are new modes of tracking available such as dance, basketball, and more. The heart rate sensor is accurate in tracking heartbeats per minute. The stress sensor is another very useful thing, and it allows you to understand how you have been feeling and what you should do next. The breathing feature is just a game-changer for me. It allows me to calm down when I am stressed or feeling a little anxious. You can set the time yourself manually for the breathing exercise. Then you can do other things with the Mi Smart Band 6, such as setting the alarm, change the music that's playing from your phone, control calls, and much more. All of these are important features in context to helping someone stay away from the distracting smartphone as much as possible. The battery takes somewhere around 2 hours to charge completely. The charging animation is very cool as well. You can see live charging status whenever you touch the screen, which is very convenient as well. The Mi Fit app is also very easy and simple to use. It will reflect all of the data collected by the Smart Band and will allow you to understand the recent activities that you have done.

Mi Smart Band 6 Review: Price and Conclusion

The Mi Smart Band 6 can be your perfect companion if you are looking to get a fitness band for activity tracking. It is absolutely one of the best in the market. Yes, there are a lot of people criticising Xiaomi for launching it at a price of Rs 3,499. But the thing is, the Smart Band's totally worth it. People are so used to getting things for so cheap from Xiaomi that they have just forgotten that it can also launch a little higher priced products. Even at Rs 3,499, the Mi Smart Band 6 is actually cheap and is a very good deal with all the features and the bigger display that it comes with.

BSNL 4G Hits Another Roadblock Despite Getting NSCS Nod

Posted: 04 Sep 2021 10:57 PM PDT

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has hit yet another roadblock when it comes to the 4G rollout. The telco has been denied a proposal for upgrading its 2G and 3G sites in the western and southern zones to 4G. It is worth noting that BSNL had already received the nod from NSCS (National Security Council Secretariat) for going ahead with the upgradation of the sites. But despite the approval, the government nominees in the company's board have denied the proposal of the state-run telco to go ahead with upgrading the 2G/3G sites in southern and western India.

13,533 2G and 3G BSNL Sites Could Have Been Upgraded, But Govt Said No

The government nominees at BSNL's board had expressed security concerns about upgrading the BSNL sites to 4G. Thus, BSNL went and got the approval from NSCS, but it also didn't work and satisfy the government. According to a Financial Express report, NSCS had given its nod to BSNL for going ahead with Nokia as the equipment supplier for the sites. But the government nominees believe even that's not safe. For the unaware, the government itself has appointed 'NSCS' as the designated portal for the telecom companies to get approval before purchasing equipment from a vendor. NSCS will determine whether a vendor's equipment/product is safe for the telcos and the nation. Because of the 'no' from the government nominees, now BSNL can't upgrade its 13,533 sites of 2G/3G to 4G in southern and western India. All these constant interruptions will only push BSNL away from a successful future. The telco should have been given the nod to go ahead with the 4G upgradation if it had received permission from NSCS. But since it hasn't, it raises a lot of questions as to what will happen to the telco's 4G network if it isn't allowed to go ahead with 4G upgradation in case Indian vendors aren't ready.

Vodafone Idea, Jio or Airtel, Whose Disney+ Hotstar Plans Best

Posted: 04 Sep 2021 06:41 PM PDT

Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi) all have come out with new prepaid plans during this week. It all started with Reliance Jio coming out with new Disney+ Hotstar prepaid plans. This was followed by Vi and Airtel as well. Disney+ Hotstar had changed its subscription tiers and structure in India starting September 1, 2021. This was naturally going to force operators to change their plans as well since the over-the-top (OTT) platform had removed its 'VIP' offering. Now all the plans offer access to the complete content library, but they have different quality of streaming and allow users to play content on different kinds of devices. Let's take a look at the plans introduced by each of the telcos and see which company offers the best one.

Reliance Jio Disney+ Hotstar New Prepaid Plans

Jio is now offering a Rs 499, Rs 666, Rs 888, and Rs 2599 plan to the users with the new Disney+ Hotstar Mobile-only plan. The Disney+ Hotstar Mobile-only plan costs Rs 499 per year. All of these plans offer users unlimited voice calling and 100 SMS/day. The Rs 499 plan offers 3GB of daily data for 28 days while the Rs 666, Rs 888, and Rs 2599 plan comes for 56, 84, and 365 days and each of them offers users 2GB of daily data.

Vodafone Idea Disney+ Hotstar New Prepaid Plans

Vodafone Idea (Vi) is offering four new plans with the OTT benefit of the Disney+ Hotstar Mobile-only plan. These plans come for Rs 501, Rs 701, Rs 901 and Rs 2595. All these plans come with unlimited voice calling and 100 SMS/day. The Rs 501 plan comes with 3GB of daily data with 16GB of bonus data for 28 days plan, while the Rs 701 and Rs 901 plans come for 56 days and 84 days. The Rs 701 plan offers users 3GB of daily data with 32GB bonus data, and the Rs 901 plan also comes with 3GB of daily data but offers 48GB of bonus data. All these plans also bundle the 'Weekend Data Rollover' and 'Binge All Night' offer of the company.

Bharti Airtel Disney+ Hotstar New Prepaid Plans

Bharti Airtel is now offering three new Disney+ Hotstar mobile-only prepaid plans. These plans come for Rs 499, Rs 699, and Rs 2,798. All of the plans come with the Airtel Thanks benefits along with basic voice calling and 100 SMS/day benefit. The Rs 499 plan of the telco comes for 28 days and offers 3GB of daily data, while the Rs 699 and Rs 2798 plans offer users 56 days and 365 days of validity. Both plans offer 2GB daily data for the entire validity. It is frankly strange to see Airtel not offering an 84 days plan here. While comparing, it is clearly visible that in terms of price, Vi's plans are quite expensive, but they also offer the most amount of data. At the same time, even Airtel's plans are a little expensive when compared with what Jio is offering.

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