Airtel in pact with Samsung for affordable 4G smartphones

Bharti Airtel, India's largest telecom operator, has entered into an alliance with smartphone and consumer electronics brand Samsung to offer a range of affordable 4G smartphones. The partnership is part of Airtel's 'Mera Pehla Smartphone' initiative, under which it aims to partner with device manufacturers to build an open ecosystem of affordable smartphones.

Four top models from Samsung's Galaxy J-series range – J2 (2017), J5 Prime, J7 Prime, and J7 Pro - will be available with cashback offers, bringing down the effective price of the device. All devices will come bundled with Airtel's recharge pack of Rs 199 that offers 1GB data per day and unlimited calling.

The Rs1,500 cashback will be disbursed to customers over 24 months. At the end of 12 months, customers who have made recharges (in any denomination of their choice) worth Rs2,500 will be eligible for the first installment of Rs300. They will be eligible for the second instalment of Rs 1,200 provided they complete another set of recharges worth Rs 2,500 over the next 12 months.

''We are delighted to partner Samsung in our endeavour of transforming India into a smartphone nation by making it easier for customers to get access to 4G smartphones they always aspired for. With this partnership, we are also stepping up the range of devices we offer to our customers. In particular, this new range of affordable smartphones will serve the aspirations of young customers who are looking to make a one-time investment to own a large screen smartphone with latest features and enjoy a great 4G experience,'' Ajai Puri, COO – India & South Asia, Bharti Airtel said.

''This partnership with Airtel gives us another opportunity to enhance consumer experience, bringing together our popular Galaxy J series smartphones with their services at affordable prices. Today, every third smartphone sold in India is a Galaxy J series device. These smartphones are packed with several India-centric innovations developed at our R&D centres in the country under the Samsung 'Make for India' initiative,'' Ranjivjit Singh, Chief Marketing Officer, Samsung India, said.

The offer is available across India starting January 7, 2018. The ownership of the 4G smartphone is completely with the customer and there is no need to return the device to Airtel/Samsung at any point to claim the cash benefit.