Hike, Airtel ally to embed 'Total' on affordable smartphones

NEW DELHI: Messaging app Hike today announced a strategic pact with Bharti Airtel to embed its new service 'Total' on mobile devices under the telecom operator's 'Mera Pehla Smartphone' initiative.

A recently-announced offering by Hike, 'Total' allows users to access essential services such as messaging, news, recharge and others without a data connection.

"Starting March 2018, select smartphones under the 'Mera Pehla Smartphone' will be shipped with Total as a pre- installed feature," said a joint release by the two companies.


Commenting on the development, Kavin Bharti Mittal, Founder and CEO of Hike, said, "With 'Total' on 'Mera Pehla Smartphones', first-time users will find it easy understand and navigate a smartphone. Using data is also simplified and 'Total' users can get online with special data packs starting as low as Re 1".

Under the 'Mera Pehla Smartphone' programme launched in October 2017, Airtel partnered with multiple mobile handset manufacturers to bring bundled 4G smartphones at affordable prices, to the market.

As part of this initiative, Airtel has already joined hands with handset makers like Celkon and Karbonn Mobiles to offer a low-cost bundled 4G smartphones, in a bid to counter an offensive by JioPhone.