Reliance JioPhone beta testing to begin on August 15, bookings to open on August 24: Here’s everything you need to know

The Reliance JioPhone is all set to go under beta testing on August 15. However, not everyone will get a chance to lay their hands on the feature phone which is effectively priced Rs 0. For general consumers, the phone will be available for booking starting August 24, whereas shipments are scheduled for sometime in September.

Given the kind of response Reliance Jio’s 4G services received when launched last year, one can estimate the queues at stores or waitlists online will be longer than usual. However, you can buckle up in advance to acquire the 4G VoLTE feature phone. Here’s how you can book the phone online and offline.

JioPhone online booking

Before you hop onto the ‘Rs 0′ buzzword, let us remind you that the company will charge you Rs 1,500 as a one-time refundable payment. This amount can be claimed after three years. This amount is to thwart misuse of the data. As for the bookings, you can either head to MyJio app on your smartphone on August 24 or alternatively, visit the Jio.com website. 

At the moment, if you head to the website, you can register your interest for the phone and receive updates. All you need to do is fill up the required information. Once you register your interest, you will receive the updates around the JioPhone launch via SMS and email.

JioPhone offline booking

You can also book the JioPhone through offline stores. You will be required to visit your nearest Jio retailer on August 24 for the booking. However, you must take into consideration that by visiting the store, you won’t get to purchase the phone, but only do the bookings for it.

It is worth mentioning that when Mukesh Ambani announced the JioPhone, he mentioned that the phone will be available on a first come, first serve basis. One could expect the demand to be significantly high in the first few days. However, the company plans to deliver 5 million units each week. 

JioPhone specifications, features

The JioPhone features a 2.4-inch QVWA display and as per reports, it is expected to be powered by Qualcomm or Spreadtrum chipsets. The phone supports microSD card slot, torchlight, FM radio, and has built-in apps such as Jio TV, Jio Cinema, Jio Music and others. Despite being a feature phone, the JioPhone supports 4G VoLTE, 3G, 2G, Wi-Fi and NFC. 

It further comes with support for voice controls to help run apps, send messages, make calls, etc. The phone also supports 22 Indian languages and has a panic button for calling emergency services. While there is no clarity, it is expected that a different version of WhatsApp might be launched on JioPhone.

Reliance Jio has customized data plans for the JioPhone. The base plan starts at Rs 153 and offers unlimited data and voice calls with a daily cap of 500MB on high speeds. Another key feature of JioPhone is that it can be connected with a TV Cable that allows one to connect their phone to larger screens of televisions, including CRT sets.