Know the person behind India's cheapest smartphone Freedom 251

 

The Freedom 251, despite having the latest specifications, comes at a price that many experts feel, is way beyond imagination.

Not much has been revealed about the person behind this device, but media reports say that the company Ringing Bells is promoted by Mohit Kumar Goel.

Noida-based Ringing Bells Pvt. Ltd was established in 2015.

Goel has a graduation degree from Western Sydney University and holds an MBA degree from Amity University. He ventured into telecom field only in last September.

Goel's father runs a grocery store in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli district.

Financial daily, livemint, quoting data from the Registrar of Companies said that the company has Sushma Devi and Rajesh Kumar besides Goel as its directors.

Freedom 251, hailed as India's most affordable smartphone was launched yesterday at just Rs 251.

The 3G handset, Freedom 251, features a 4-inch display, Qualcomm 1.3-GHz quad-core processor and 1 GB RAM.

The Android Lollipop-based handset has an onboard storage of 8 GB with support for expandable memory of up to 32 GB. It features a 3.2-MP rear and a 0.3-MP front facing camera and a 1,450-mAh battery.

Mobile industry raises concerns on 'Freedom 251' smartphone

 

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 Rs 251, 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.

"For your kind information, the bill of material (BOM) value for a product like this when sourced from the cheapest supply chain cost approximately USD 40 (Rs 2,700).

"And this, when translated into retail price after addition of applicable duties, taxes and with distribution and retail margins would be at least Rs 4,100 while the product is being sold at Rs 251," ICA National President Pankaj Mohindroo said in the letter.

He further added that even if the product is sold at lower margins in an e-commerce type subsidised sale, the final consumer price cannot come below USD 52-55 (about Rs 3,500-3,800).

"Further, there is no visible mobile operator subsidy involved in this, which in any case is not the way the Indian mobile market operates," he added.

Mohindroo said it would be advisable that officers from Deity get into the depth of this and ICA will provide any technical assistance, if required.

"We are bringing this to your kind notice, so that a scenario does not arise in the future, where the nation, the government of India, industry and trade are seen in a poor light," the letter added.

Freedom 251: World's cheapest 'Made in India' smartphone launched at just Rs 251

 

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.

The Android Lollipop-based handset will have an onboard storage of 8 GB with support for expandable memory of up to 32 GB. 

have an onboard storage of 8 GB with support for expandable memory of up to 32 GB. It features a 3.2-MP rear and a 0.3-MP front facing camera and a 1,450-mAh battery.

The mass market device will come with preinstalled apps including Women Safety, Swachh Bharat, Fisherman, Farmer, Medical, WhatsApp, Facebook and YouTube.

Bookings for the Freedom 251 will start tomorrow. Previously, the company has launched the most affordable 4G smartphone for Rs 2,999.

Last year, DataWind had announced that it is teaming up with Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Communications (RCOM) to launch the world's most affordable smartphone, priced at Rs 999. The phone is yet to hit the market.