Reliance Wireless Data Card Vs RIM Phone

[peerbaba27 1]

hello guys, just a newbie question...

I need mobile internet. Considering RConnect because of higher speed, better than Tata Indicom. I was wondering WHY should I choose a Data Card over a Phone/Data Cable etc?

Whats the advantage of using a Data Card when I CAN use a data enabled handset. that will work out cheaper, at least I dont have to buy the PCMCIA Card. What arethe advantages of the PCMCIA card over a Handset? Is it speed? I saw a Demo of the new CHEAPER CHINSE ZTE MC315 at the Webworld and its speed was not impressive. At least not faster than when I had connected using a friend's Nokia 6255.

Any suggestions?

--I would have loved to go with Blackberry but Airtel's rates are pure butchery. Treo, the phone is too expensive and no carrier in India is offering a Subsidised set. Pocket PC based 'smart'-phone solutions are not an option for me.

[deadman 0]

hello guys, just a newbie question...

I need mobile internet. Considering RConnect because of higher speed, better than Tata Indicom. I was wondering WHY should I choose a Data Card over a Phone/Data Cable etc?

Whats the advantage of using a Data Card when I CAN use a data enabled handset. that will work out cheaper, at least I dont have to buy the PCMCIA Card. What arethe advantages of the PCMCIA card over a Handset? Is it speed? I saw a Demo of the new CHEAPER CHINSE ZTE MC315 at the Webworld and its speed was not impressive. At least not faster than when I had connected using a friend's Nokia 6255.

Any suggestions?

--I would have loved to go with Blackberry but Airtel's rates are pure butchery. Treo, the phone is too expensive and no carrier in India is offering a Subsidised set. Pocket PC based 'smart'-phone solutions are not an option for me.

Thanks for update ....look like old card was speed one. .. I'm using net through LG 2030.. Planed to go for new card. (said it is for less then old one like for 6500 or so) ... Now I shift to 6255.. Lets see where I will find cheaper second hand 6255 . Look like i have to enter choor bazar

[anujit 0]

A card makes little sense unless you have a very specific browsing need - which might be "unlimited" surfing. Since all plans on phones are for "limited" surfing.

Other than that you get the same things (a.k.a. theoritical speed) on a Rs.14,000 card as you get on a Rs. 2,000 phone. Plus the phone has a million other utilities. So the phone wins hands down!

[peerbaba27 1]

thanks

i think what you say makes sense. anyone else feels similarly? the only problem is Reliance has such terrible looking handsets, I feel cheated to buy one, when there are such wonderful handsets for GSM and for CDMA abroad. Which brings me to anotehr question...If I get a Treo 650 CDMA from Sprint/Verizon, how can I get it to work on Reliance in India? If Reliance cannot give me a nice handset, I should be able to look for me own...

also LG VX9800 and Moto V710 are pretty decent CDMA handsets. Wish they were availbale here.

[amtrag 20]

...If I get a Treo 650 CDMA from Sprint/Verizon, how can I get it to work on Reliance in India?..

You cannot get your "own" handset to work on Reliance network, atleast officially.

[peerbaba27 1]

thats pretty silly, undemocratic and backward. in that case Reliance should offer at least SOME handsets which are not a public embarassment.

[Harshad 1]

I really dont think Reliance offers such bad handsets that they should be embarrasing in public. Try getting a nokia for that matter, if you think LG mite be cheap for u... Btw the price for the data card has dropped to Rs.6500, so u mite try considering that too !

[peerbaba27 1]

the new Rs6500 chinese card performance s**ks. plus whay should i BUY a card PLUS buy a phone plus pay for both? which is whay i had raised the question if I can get similar performance from data card and phone?

Relaince doesnt have bad handsets?

I am looking at a, lets say a Nokia 6600 kind of features at that kind of proce : Rs 9900???

RIM Nokia 6255 is crippled in terms of browsing and mail, is feature poor, costs Rs 13000.

Does RIM have anything to compete with Nokia N Series? or Hutch Palm? The Kyocera is priced, last asked, at 35k and it doesnt even have Bluetooth and camera???

Cellular Services abroiad provide massive subsidies to keep customers as well as encourage use of higher end DATA services. GSM Treo Goes for USD 179, Moto MPX 220 for free, Razr for free, Blackberry 7100t for free, CDMA Treo 650 for free, Blackberry 7250 for 199 USD etc. Plus there are millions of schemes where you can get your stuff cheaper. Here we have to pay the manufacturer's dollar equivalent price PLUS cost of import duties PLUS less than exciting data services PLUS of course hardly any CHOICE of handsets.

And we are supposed to be having a telecom revolution in this country.

Tell me one good handset buy from RIM at a price equivalent to Rs 12000 and less, for a Smartphone based on Palm/Series 60/Blackberry OS BUNDLED with Document Reader software, bluetooh, SD/MMC Card Slot, and a virtually UNLIMITED phone book with EMAIL and full HTML internet Browsing???

For GSM/GPRS theres the vast majority of Series 60 handsets that fulfill this. But alas, as is typical of our carriers, no one's offering decent data speeds.

I only wish the Kyocera 7135 was priced at 15000 (with its limitattions, as compared to the Treo 650)and the 6255 at about 8000. I think thats how much they are worth in teh open market, If I may be a little generous with the prices.

Still looking for a great handset solution with fast enough data access. pretty happy with nokia 6255 on RIM data speeds, but handset is unexciting at that price point.

[amtrag 20]

Does RIM have anything to compete with Nokia N Series? or Hutch Palm? The Kyocera is priced, last asked, at 35k and it doesnt even have Bluetooth and camera???

.

.

Tell me one good handset buy from RIM at a price equivalent to Rs 12000 and less, for a Smartphone based on Palm/Series 60/Blackberry OS BUNDLED with Document Reader software, bluetooh, SD/MMC Card Slot, and a virtually UNLIMITED phone book with EMAIL and full HTML internet Browsing???

Peerbaba, you have put forth a very strong point...

But remember Reliance entered the market at a time when only the higher crust of the society could afford a mobile phone. So this upper-class customer segment was already with the existing GSM operators. I remember people paying 25K for those 1st Gen phones and then paying Rs.15 per min on incoming.

In such a scenario, Reliance wisely targeted the masses who did not own a mobile phone at all.

So Reliance's objective was to offer cheap & affordable mobile services to the masses.

Hence, Nokia N Series or Hutch Palm or other Smart phones do not fit the bill for Reliance CDMA.

Reliance seems to prefer getting 100 new low value customers at the cost of losing one high value customer like you.

Edited December 17, 2005 by amtrag

[peerbaba27 1]

true, i couldnt agree with you more : buts its basic economics.

at 35,000 lets say RIM sells 5000 Kyocera 7135s

at 17,000 they might sell not 10,000, but maybe 30,000

But somewhere I guess theres a resistance to getting better handsets and offering them at competitive prices. Most of my friends shudder at the thought of getting Reliance. Even I used to. I do now too. The only thing that brings me to these forums is teh fact that Reliance actually has better data services potential, THAN a low cost service provider SHOULD. And theres no denying that RIM IS targetting the corporate secftor a lot. and also, the corporates are more high value THAN people like me.

But I am wondering, if a top project management guy wants a RIM phone which one would he go for?

No wonder then that corporates are more interested in getting the Wireless Data Cards. And there also RIM has discontinued teh better Sierrra Wireless Cards.

Its a strange phase that we are going through. There are some people (although they are only a nano fraction of our populattion) who want good data services as well as usable handsets at a reasonalbe cost but there are NO carriers supporting that.

Hutch offers EDGE at 650 pm PLUS 50 paise per kilo bit after I GB (i think) which I think is highway robbery. Its almost like a direct dollar conversion of rates.

Reliance have a great service. But they should let people get better handset to leverage teh brand equity as well as make it more sensible for Urban Educated users as well. Since thay ALREADY DO HAVE a vasr majority of the masses.

[basant_jp 0]

Rightly said. I agree with you Peer Baba...

Cheers!

[supernova 47]

[Thanks for update ....look like old card was speed one. .. I'm using net through LG 2030.. Planed to go for new card. (said it is for less then old one like for 6500 or so) ... Now I shift to 6255.. Lets see where I will find cheaper second hand 6255 . Look like i have to enter choor bazar

never ever buy 6255 even in chor bazaar if u dont need bluetooth

[peerbaba27 1]

:-)

thanks for the insight. anyway at THAT price I would never!!!

My brother just bought a BlackMoto V3 Razr and boy does it look geougeous at RS 12,000!!!! WHY on earth would i buy a 6355 at 13k? (or is it 15?) I am actually saving for the Treo 650 which i will run on Airtel's Rs 5 a day unlimited data access GPRS plan. Its hopelessly slow but at leats the phone has a whole lot of other features which are more than useful. I think I should get one for about 26k from Mumbai and cheaper abroad.

The upcoming MotoQ is awesome but alas it runs Windoze and I Dont really want to get into a buggy phone system!!!

Saw an N9o witha friend. Its awesome!!!

Also the LGVX9800 CDMA!!

[Gotlo 0]

Well said Peer.

I don't understand 1 thing... why doesn't rel give attn to the "aesthetics" part.. the "show-off from far" aspect. (Compare those greeny lgs to 1108 ~ now don't bang about polytones plz)

Just luk at da tata sets.. trash stuffs but looks cool (flap lgs spcly) and so people r going 4 them, after all ''arre naya FLAP phone.. mahenga hoga'' rings that feeling of pride.

But look at the rel sets .. d lg bws with green black light... looks like those 'jelly-belly' toffee u get (jellys packed in small cell shaped plastics)[only Samsung Black Slim & Nokia 2112 looks decent]

And d odd shaped 5130/5340/6230, uff why for gods sake why such wired shapes!!!! (6130 is decent)

And the nokias... u get better Nokia GSMs at the same price. (Just compare 3230/6630 with a 6255 - both priced nearly same and u'll understand RWorld* is not everything)

*Sadly RWorld has such powerful capabilities with such a wideband network but... people don't eat technology but the contents that this technology provide.

Oh Reliance ... UNDERSTAND these basic things.... the world is not made of techies alone!!!!

Acc 2 me if ur the one who wants feature rich mobile experince then go 4 gsm but for high speed mobile data connectivity on laptops or home pcs go for reliance.(thats why i'm looking 4 a 2112 for my dad's new laptop)

Again I repeat that my last conclusion applies to those who want features and cost of service is not the first criteria)

[peerbaba27 1]

true fellow human!

check out the fabulous new upcoming Sony Ericsson range ; the W950i, the M600 etc... all GSM/GPRS

GSM/GPRS is what democracy is all about. i think i am convinced about selling off my kyocera 7135. i will maybe gift it to my father or a retired uncle...

[dacodecz 0]

GSM/GPRS is what democracy is all about. i think i am convinced about selling off my kyocera 7135. i will maybe gift it to my father or a retired uncle...

Hi,

Wow your democracy get defined by some ITU/EU drafts =)) and its implementation.

Good luck !!!

[Powered by XST 0]

The Chinese Data Cards available from Reliance, are they any good. I mean can any one post whats the speed they are getting?

I am planning to get a new data card and wireless connection. I am an avid downloader so i would like to go for Platinum Plan!!!!

[pravise 0]

I am a newbie to using the rconnect facility. Can anyone advice me on Phone based Rconnect access?

Which mobiles are better for accessing the internet ? LG or Nokia

If so pls advice on what are the phones (enttry level & high level) which are suitable for Rconnect? I would grateful to get your replies.

Thanks in Advance,

Pravise

[Arun 795]

High level phones like Nokia 6235 have claimed better speeds. Lower entry level phones like Samsung SCHN191 are not available now, if you can get hold of a second hand one, then go for it.

@Powered by XST: I did try out the ZTE data card and it had good performance, comparable to Sierra. Though the build quality could be lower for the ZTE and other Chineese brands.

[evas80 0]

The Chinese Data Cards available from Reliance, are they any good. I mean can any one post whats the speed they are getting?

I am planning to get a new data card and wireless connection. I am an avid downloader so i would like to go for Platinum Plan!!!!

I knw its tooooo late to post now, but i just got the card and been using for 2 days and the experience is bad. The speed is pathetic, it is about 1-3 KBPS (8-24 kbps) on an average, which is suppose to be at max of 114 kbps.

[supernova 47]

which card .. you didnt tell model no ?