BSNL Penta PS501, PS650 And Bharat Phone Launched In India; Features & Price Listed

BSNL or Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited has tied up with Pantel Technologies Private Limited to launch three new smartphones in India called Penta Smart PS501, PS650 and the one with an interesting name called - 'Bharat Phone'. It is the first time ever that BSNL has ventured into developing its own smartphones for the Indian market. Last year BSNL came up with BSNL Penta TPAD Tablets Don't Bother Aakash which we believed could not compete the ever-popular Aakash tablets. So, let us take a look at the features, specs list and the price in India tags of these three phones launched by BSNL and figure out if they would appeal the masses or not.

First and foremost is the BSNL Penta Smart PS501, a 3G Android smartphone that features a 5-inch FWVGA screen with 854 x 480 pixel resolution, a 196 ppi pixel density and good color saturation. Running the Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) operating system without any personal customization, the Penta PS501 features a host of pre-loaded apps such as the Flipboard, WhatsApp, Opera browser, Backup and Restore and Mobile Security etc. Powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, the phone offers a 5 megapixel rear end camera and a 0.3 megapixel front facing one. The phone offers Dual SIM support (GSM+GSM) and packs a 1800 mAh battery inside along with 4 GB memory.


On the outside appearance, we see that the phone's got a thin chrome lining along the sides, metallic Lock/Power key on the right and Volume Rocker on the left. Below the screen is combo of Options, Home and Back haptic keys. The BSNL PS501 is now available across india via retail stores and BSNL online site at a price of Rs. 6,299.

Coming to the second phone, the BSNL Penta Smart PS650. It features a 6.5-inch IPS display and comes powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. Running the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS, on Penta PS650 phone's tech specs list, we find 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage. On the camera the phone scores a little less as there's just a 2 megapixel rear camera and a VGA front camera. A 2,500mAh battery is sure to offer decent talk time for the user. The phone is launched at an official price of Rs. 7,999 and will be available in some days. Offering some nice perks to the device buyers, BSNL gives away free 3GB of 3G data and up to 300 minutes of talk-time with the purchase of both these smartphones.


Commenting on the launch, Vijender Singh, Managing Director, Pantel Technologies said, "The PS501 & PS650 are masterpieces in the Smart devices category. These devices have been designed around the user – smart, stylish, sporty, elegant, gamer, entertainer, music lover, movie freak and full of sophistication. We are affirmative that these products – bundled with attractive Internet and Voice plans from BSNL – designed specifically for the AamAdmi, will gain quick market acceptance and saliency."

Coming to the last but not the least, yet definitely the cheapest - an adjective that echoes everywhere in the country of India, we have BSNL's "Bharat Phone" - an entry-level phone for the price of Rs. 1,799. The Bharat phone features a 3-inch display and let's the user have Internet access for email, Facebook and music or video downloads. It is a Dual-SIM handset and the marketing team calls it an "internet-ready feature phone". It packs inside it a 1800 mAh Lithium-Ion battery that delivers up to 8 hours of talk time and 15 days standby time. The Government of India wants the Bharat Phone users to gain access to e-governance services like mobile banking, tele-medical care delivery and streaming data delivery using this new device.


With its targets lying in the rural India and grass-roots of Indian cities, BSNL offers 1200 minutes of free talk time split over 12 months with Bharat Phone. "We are delighted to offer latest technology products in a reverse data bundling marketing alliance with Pantel Technologies. Products like the Penta Bharat Phone will now offer the Indian consumer the power of Internet access at an affordable price," said BSNL chairman and managing director R.K. Upadhyay. He further added that, "BSNL has bundled its data STVs with devices from Pantel technologies to make the bundled offers a lucrative one for different segments of society."

That's pretty much everything about the new phones from BSNL. We would really love to read opinions of all the Indians on these three smartphones - BSNL Penta PS501, PS650 and the Bharat Phone. Share your thoughts in comments below.