Reliance Jio welcome offer: The good news and bad news behind unlimited data

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Consumers across the country are now eligible to avail Reliance Jio's services that opened its services from September 5. RIL has opened its doors to all potential users having any 4G-enabled handset in an aggressive quest to garner 100 million subscribers.

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.

But hold on! The free offer has a catch. Online media reports say that after users finish 4GB data usage, the speed is reduced to 128Kbps, which well, could be a bad news for some users. This is contrary to the preview offer, which had no such data cap or limit.

While the good news is that this 4GB usage cap is that on daily limit. It means, for the entire month you can still continue with the super speed while on 4GB usage –something that comes to 120GB.

Meanwhile, the data charges also pegged as low as Rs 50 per GB, compared to Rs 250 a GB prevailing in the market.

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.