Reliance India Brings iPhone 5 With Post Paid Plan Offers

Reliance Communications, the Indian technology giant has coupled with Apple Inc. to bring the iPhone 5 in India with many interesting post-paid plans. As #-Link-Snipped-# earlier this month, the Anil Ambani-owned telecom operator, Reliance India, is offering up to 50% discount on data service plans on its 3G network to iPhone users. So now, after Aircel and Airtel, Apple is making its way to the people through the mega Reliance Digital stores. "There will be around 140 million more smart phone users in India over the next two or three years. We are gunning to get 40 million of them," said Gurdeep Singh, chief executive (wireless business), Reliance Communications. Reliance Communications is a passive infrastructure - telecom towers and optic fiber - provider for Mukesh Ambani's Relaince Jio Infocomm, which is the only company in the country with airwaves to provide high-speed Internet connectivity on 4G across India.

Let us look at the different plans for 3G from Reliance. The schemes of Rs. 304, Rs. 504, Rs. 804 and Rs. 1004, will tag along free 2GB, 3GB, 6GB and 10GB data, respectively. The iPhone 5 will be available for a suggested retail price of 45,500 Rs for the 16GB model, 52,500 Rs for the 32GB model and 59,500 Rs for the 64GB model in Reliance World outlets. In addition, iPhone 4S will be available for 38,500 Rs for the 16GB model and iPhone 4 will be available for 26,500 Rs for the 8GB model.



The pricing proposed for iPhone data users on Reliance Communications at the most discounted plan offering 6 GB of data surfing a month at 804, compares favourably with Airtel's parallel offer that gives 1.2GB data at the same price. However, Airtel offers more free calling minutes and SMS. Reliance Communications will offer premium numbers to new iPhone customers on its network, and free access to applications What'sApp, Facebook and Twitter for three months. "We are a younger GSM player in the developed markets like Mumbai and Delhi. This should increase our access to the post-paid customer market," Singh said.

These plans are being rolled out in seven cities, including Mumbai and Delhi to start with, and are restricted to iPhone users. We would like to know how you like the pricing of the plans and the handset. Share your opinions with us in replies below.