Expressing concern over the launch of a smartphone at price as low as Rs251, mobile industry body ICA has written to Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to get into depth of the issue, saying the rate could not be below Rs3,500 even after a subsidised sale.
The Indian Cellular Association (ICA) also said that it is not appropriate for the senior political and Government leadership to be present at the launch till the air around this is cleared and it is not shrouded under controversies. Noida-based Ringing Bells is launching India’s most affordable smartphone, priced at Rs251, a move that is set to disrupt the booming Indian mobile handset market. The 3G handset, Freedom 251, features a 4-inch display, Qualcomm 1.3-GHz quad-core processor and 1 GB RAM, according to details shared by the company. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikkar will launch the smartphone Freedom 251 later this evening.