Airtel launches 4G services. Partners with Flipkart and Samsung to take services to 296 cities!

Looks like Airtel has taken the first mover’s advantage over Reliance Jio by launching its 4G services across 296 cities in India. Reliance Jio is slated to launch its 4G services in December later this year.

Airtel was so far offering its 4G services in select cities starting with Kolkata offering high speed data services for India’s growing smartphone users. Interestingly Airtel has partnered with Samsung and Flipkart to take its 4g services to the customers. With these strategic partnerships in place Airtel seems to have addressed to two main hurdles to new technology adoption in India – the availability of 4G enabled handsets and the distribution channel to take its services to the customers.

Going by recent trends looks like Airtel will provide 4G enabled smartphones manufactured by Samsung at a competitive subsidized rates over Flipkart. It might make these bundled services available through flash sales which have become fairly popular with smartphone manufacturers like One +1 and Micromax for its YUreka and YUphoria series of phones.

Reliance Jio was also reported to have entered into partnership with Samsung and LG to manufacture 4G enabled devices to be bundled with its services, but it was however planning to take these services to the customers via its network of 400 plus Reliance Digital, Reliance Trends and reliance Fresh store. With its partnership with Flipkart, Airtel will now enjoy wider and faster reach to its customers. The company claims to be able to provide 4G SIM cards to customers in 4hrs which is considerable improvement over the 24hr activation cycle achieved via traditional telecom distribution channels.

With its launch of 4G services, check Airtel’s current 4G offerings in your city, Airtel has now covered the entire gamut of digital services ranging from 2G, 3G & 4G services along with the Digital Wallet, DTH, Data Card, Leased line and Fixed Line services.

With other major pan India telecom operators like Idea Cellular and Vodafone yet to launch their services the sector is only starting to heat up and consumers can expect many discounts and offers in the coming months.