Hi Friends,
This is my personal opinion - after using the services for more than 3 months +.
No offences with Reliance’s Sufferers.
Although - I have full sympathy with them.
I was a very loyal Hutch Subscriber before I opted for Reliance FWP (Fixed Wireless Phone) - I hope I am right.
My monthly bill was in the range of 4-5 Thousand a month. Since I make a lot of STD calls to my folks back home and I am an engaged person soon to be married.
Reliance - FWP : Fixed Wireless Phone
This is basically a land line connection with no wires attached - in the form of WLL which works regionally - Means - it will work only in a particular city - where you take the connection - will never have roaming and it is as good as a land line, compared to other basic phone providers it is far far better in technology and price as well.
I have taken this connection in Gurgaon and the moment I drive down or enter in Delhi the phone stops working, but this is not at all an issue with me since my office and residence both are in Gurgaon. I take it to my office as well.
Service is also upto the mark - rather very good, I have never faced any problem and even customer care is good, since you can reach them at any point of time without being put on hold for gruesome 15-20+ minutes like it used to happen with Hutch.
Application : Visit the nearest Reliance Webworld; fill up a simple two page form. Attach Address Proof, Photo Identity, Take the receipt go back home - sit back and relax. Somebody from reliance will visit you within 48 hrs and will give you a one-page report, you can visit the Webworld again with this page - submit it - and collect your phone, packed in a box. Go back home - switch it on - dial the activation code and here you - are ready to make calls or surf the net.
Price : As I said there are two types of Handsets available right now - both LG - Table Top and Cordless. For Normal Table Top phone you've got to pay them 2300/- (Which includes 1000/- Security Deposit for Local calls) and for Cordless phone you've got to pay them 3300/- (Which includes 1000/- Security Deposit for Local calls). If you want STD also than you will have to pay 1000/- More as deposit. These 2000/- (Local + STD) deposits are refundable once you surrender the phone in working condition.
Handset :It comes in two forms : Cordless Phone and Other is a Usual Table Top Phone, which comes with a Speaker Phone. Right now they are providing LG Handsets.
Cordless phone has more than 10 Different ring tones, 3 message alert tones, Alarm, Security Features like key pad lock and password protection.
Phone book of 100 Numbers.
Hot key dialing.
SMS is also enabled in these phones - I don’t know the capacity of the phone since I have more than 10 odd sms saved in my phone.
Caller ID :Both the handsets have caller ID screens. No extra charges for caller ID.
Battery :The battery in the Cordless phone works perfectly (Since I have no experience with the table top phone). It gives a standby time of more than 36 hrs and talk time of more than 1 and half hours. It comes with a cute little charging unit, where in you can keep it while charging or while it is not in use.
Voice Clarity :Voice is clear or should I say ULTRA Clear, if you keep the speaker volume full than you will have to keep the handset atleast 1 feet away from your ears while talking.
Voice Mail :Free of cost, retrieval of message is paid - which is charged at local call rates.
Three Party Conference :Talk to two different people simultaneously as well as together. You've got to read the manual to learn it how to do.
Internet Access :You need to buy a Cable for that - which is available in any Reliance webworld at 1200/- or can be obtained at a cheaper rates from local computer hardware market. You can get it in Nehru Place Delhi at 250/- only.
The charging Unit can be attached with the computer with this cable through the USB port and works like a modem.
They have unlimited Internet access packages 750/- Per month with 1 GB data download or 1500/- Per month with No Limit of Data.
Even if you don’t take any of these packages you can access the net by paying 50 Paise per minute on the peak hours and 25 Paise per minute on the off peak hours.
Internet speed is Fundoo (115 KBPS).
Rental :I have taken it in a 700/- Per Month Rental Scheme wherein reliance is providing unlimited STD / Local calls to any other reliance number - be it Reliance GSM, CDMA, or Fixed Lines. In this scheme they are giving local calls free worth 165/- per month and if you don’t make a single local call you get a discount of 165/- per month on your total bill.
SMS charges are 50 Paise all India.
International SMS at 3/- (depending upon the plan you take - SMS Cost might differ a bit)
Since reliance to reliance all calls are free, there is no bill at all except the monthly rental and taxes.
But if you call up other landlines or GSM's or other companies CDMA's the call charges are similar to other service providers.
There are other rental plans as well, starting as low as 150/- per month.
Difference in my life : Previously when I was using Hutch my bill as I told you was 3-4 Thousand per month, since I have taken this connection - I have cut down my Phone expense to a meager 1000/- bucks a month since my parents back home in MP have a reliance GSM connection, My Fiancée is also having a Reliance CDMA connection (I have been talking to her since January very dedicatedly for hours in a day) My Bro in Mumbai is also having a Reliance Phone at his office. A lot of my friends in and around Delhi are having reliance phones and I am enjoying the unlimited calling to the full extent.
Other calls than reliance are in the similar rate as other service providers are offering so I have never crossed 1200/- till date even after calling my friends on other connections as well.
Bill Payment :You can logon to https://relianceinfo.com and create your account with your phone number. Wherein you can check your bills, take a printout of your detailed bill free of cost and even pay the same online provided you have online banking or a credit card. There is no need to wait or to go anywhere to deposit the bill.
No Thanks to any line man : This is the first land line I have seen which works even if you don’t pay any Holi Diwali to Line Man. As there is no wires attached you don’t need to care about these linemen.
The best part is you can roam around the town with the phone as my mom takes it with her to the departmental store or to the vegetable vendor.
All in all I will recommend Reliance FWP as the best landline on any given day.
So, if you have a Reliance Phone - and are looking forward to a career in USA or Canada, M2M your number and I shall be glad to assist you.
