Micromax, BSNL to launch Bharat One, a JioPhone rival in October

Reliance Jio marked its entry into the feature phone market segment with the launch of the JioPhone. Ever since then, the competitors are prepping to launch their own entry-level 4G VoLTE feature phones to compete with the JioPhone.

Micromax Bharat 1 First Impression: A bold competitor from Micromax and BSNL

One such rival is Micromax and the manufacturer seem to be all set to launch the Bharat one 4G VoLTE feature phone in the first week of October. There are claims that this device will be priced at Rs. 2,000. Micromax and the state-run telecom operator BSNL will join hands to launch this 4G feature phone, claims a report by The Economic Times. According to the report, BSNL will provide attractive offers such as free voice calls, reveal the sources familiar with the development.

The launch of the Micromax Bharat One will happen right in time for the festive season. The partnership of BSNL and Micromax is aimed to give a tough challenge to the JioPhone. As BSNL has a strong subscriber base in the rural as well as remote areas where the feature phones are common, this Micromax feature phone could become a hit in these regions of the country.

According to the report, a Micromax executive has revealed that the idea is to launch a device that can compete directly against the likes of the JioPhone. There is a massive feature phone market with over 500 million users who want to have more options. He added that the upcoming Bharat One feature phone will have a larger screen, sharper camera, and increased battery life than the other feature phones.

Given that Micromax that was once the second largest mobile phone manufacturer in the country has moved out of the top five mobile makers list due to the intense competition in the market, we can expect the launch of the Bharat One 4G feature phone to bring success to the company.