The product is OK, I only bought this because we have real internet speed problem in our area, BSNL broadband speed is crap and thought Jio will surpass that. But Jio turned out to be even worst, download speed doesn’t go up from 70kbps, I’ve seen people many downloading videos in matter of seconds few months ago, but now I am really disapointed with Jio, the speed is no longer there(atleast in our area).
Final verdict: Don’t waste your money on this product, instead go for "Airtel 4G wifi hotspot unlocked", which is about same price and allows you to switch any 2G/3G/4G sim card. Also this product doesn’t receive SMS(s) like other data dongle. I am stuck with this product now, unless they do something to improve the speed, or someone creates an unlocked firmware that allows me to run other 4g SIM like Airtel 4g hotspot.
Reliance started offering this device in September 2016 which allows you access Reliance Jio 4G cluster of services(Voice calls, Video calling, Text messaging, Multimedia messaging, TV, Entertainment). Most importantly, all these services are COMPLETELY FREE, and UNLIMITED Usage is allowed till MARCH 31, 2017. So, if you calculate, Reliance is offering something like 5 to 10000 rupees worth services free with this device.
If you need more freebies than that, buy another router. As for me, I bought this and got my broadband disconnected. Already saved more than I paid for. It’s not a true replacement of broadband, but hey, it’s mobile, it can be used with everything(laptop, TV, tablet, smartphone) and most importantly, it’s free.
I think it’s a unbelievably good offer. I recommend it very highly.
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Detailed review:
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I purchased this from the Reliance Digital due to lower price. My purpose primarily was to test the Reliance Jio 4G connectivity so that I can take an informed decision about whether or not to invest in a 4G phone. But the device turned out to be a lot more beneficial.
Anyway, let me focus on the features and performance of this device in detail:
Box contents:
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It’s mentioned but I repeat. It came in a nice cardboard box complete with USB cable, USB adaptor, Battery, Warranty Card.
Looks and build:
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In one word, GORGEOUS! This little device comes finished in Black Piano color ant sud is a beauty to hold, to touch, to look at. It small, not tiny, the size of a 8-10 years old kid’s palm. Almost the size of a small matchbox. It feels solid, well made and substantial(relatively) in hand. I opened it to insert the battery and the back cover snapped in place tightly and firmly.
Features:
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It’s a feature rich device. It has everything you would ask for in a full featured router(except QoS). It supports a total of 32 simultaneously connected devices. I checked it by connecting up to 3-4 devices at a time and it worked flawlessly. Besides, the most important thing about this device is that it lets you use all 4G features without actually having a 4G device. That’s right. You can "hook" this device to a any smartphone including 3G ones and you can install Reliance Jio Apps to access the 4G features. In simple terms, this device also frees you from the burden of upgrading to a 4G phone(if haven’t already done) in order to enjoy the goodies the 4G world offers.
Performance:
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Wifi performance is very stable. Up to 10-15 feet or distance with a wall or two inbetween the signal is pretty stable. My laptop shows 85% signal strength when I sit about 4-5 feet away from the router. And the signal is pretty stable. Never faced a dropout.
Battery:
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It comes with a 2300 mAh battery, which last longer than 6 hours under normal usage with one client connected. So I’d say the battery performance is very good indeed. More importantly, the device can still be used by directly plugging into the supplied USB adapter and the cable even if battery is removed.
Data sharing:
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One advance feature of this router is wireless data sharing. The device has a MicroSD slot which can take cards up to 32GB. Which is plenty for sharing 1000+ MP3 songs or 15-20 movies in high quality with the family. I haven’t tested this feature yet. I will update the review later with my finding.
Value for money(VFM):
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Reliance Jio was offering nearly 3 months of free Data+Voice+TV shows+Movies. Now the offer has been extended by another 3 months. If you think of it, the mere freebies offered by Reliance Jio is more than enough incentive for buying the device. You get more of freebie than the cost of the device. So, it is a no brainer. I was late to ride this wagon, but God, what a grave mistake it was to miss this opportunity(missing a freebie offer, that too being an Indian, LOL).
Price:
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MRP of the device on the box is higher, but Reliance was offering it at a discounted price of Rs. 2000. So I am a bit surprised to see the higher prices here. Anyway, it may still serve a purpose to those with no convenient access to a Reliance store and so on.
Usage and speed:
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I tested it for Data, Voice call, and Video call so far. Everything worked satisfactorily. Speed of the data connection varies greatly during different time of the day(and night). Top, I got a speed of approx 18mbps while downloading Youtube videos. Nominally, I’d say I get a speed around 600-900 kbps, which is more than decent considering the Indian conditions and how Telecos are ripping the consumers in the name of 3G/4G and other nonsense. Considering that customers are putting up with 2G speeds while paying for 3G, this is indeed very satisfactory. I hope Reliance plans to increase the data capacity though. Because currently it has 50 million consumers, and targets double this number. Needless to say, to maintain the same standard it will need to double it’s data capacity. So far so good. I hope Reliance Jio can maintain a high standard for its service ones the "Welcome offer"/preview period is over.
Warranty:
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I came with a User Guide and a warranty card inside the box. The warranty is valid for one year(though I don’t think 99.999%) users will ever need it.
Summary:
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You can use all FREE services of Reliance Jio with this device.
With a 4G phone, only one person can enjoy, but with this router, your whole family can.
You don’t need a 4G phone to enjoy if you have this router. Even 3G will do.
Voice call feature. It is more clear and stable compared to Whatsapp call.
SMS, FREE SMS, awesome.
Video call feature. Worked smoothly.
TV. I use Chromecast for watching TV, but one of my relatives is using this to watch TV.
You can use this router not only with your phone, but also Tablet, Laptop, TV, DVD Player, Chromecast and so on.