What is your current focus?
We are passionate about technology and the access that enables and empowers the common man to achieve more in every conceivable way. With our new range of ultra-low cost smartphones, powered with free Internet access by India’s leading network, we hope to ignite a spark that will revolutionize India’s movement towards achieving its grand vision of a Digital India. We see this as a beginning of a new phase in Internet revolution led by mobile Internet and we are delighted and privileged to have Reliance Communications by our side in this new transformational journey towards a Digital India.
What is your take on Government’s initiative Make in India?
We really thank the Indian Government for implementing DataWind’s recommendations and reversing the inverse duty structure related to smartphones and tablets. The company made a pledge to shift 90% of its manufacturing to India within 90 days. “In our commitment to Make in India, we hope to generate 1000 new direct & indirect jobs in India within the next year as we work with electronics manufacturing services companies in India.
What is your idea behind launching the new range of smartphones in India?
We know that affordability is a big issue and challenge and people who earn Rs 6000 to 7000 per month won’t be able to afford devices costing Rs 20,000 or 30,000. We need to create devices which are affordable to them. When we created tablets and calling pads costing less than Rs 3000, the people responded well. That for us was really the first stage or step. Next thing that we want to do is to connect them and connect the masses. United Nations recently pointed out that Internet access is the basic human right, but a billion Indians still don’t have access to the Internet because they cannot afford. We want to empower them; we want to resolve that challenge.
What are the unique features of your latest smartphone range?
With access to billions of web pages, at no cost, users can take advantage of content for both education and entertainment. The web is the most powerful tool for commerce, allowing users to make travel bookings, purchase from ecommerce sites or even promote their own businesses and conduct transactions. Even endless forms of communications can be conducted on the free access delivered by DataWind, including access to e-mail and social networking sites. The PocketSurfer smartphones come bundled with the infinite power of the Internet, For Free! The new range of smartphones come powered with free unlimited Internet browsing for one year on Reliance Communications, India’s most progressive mobile network.
What is more?
Covered by 18, US and international patents, DataWind’s web delivery platform delivers a fast and affordable route to Internet over 2.5G and 3G networks. DataWind’s back-end cloud servers compress and accelerate the delivery of web content by factors of 10x to 30x to render a fast and rich desktop-like web experience even on traditional GPRS/EDGE 2.5G mobile networks. Utilizing DataWind’s technology, a year of unlimited access on the UbiSurfer browser is bundled with PocketSurfer devices and delivered using the Reliance Communications GSM network for free. The free-access does not include audio/video streaming or local-downloads, which can alternatively be accessed by topping-up using market plans. Driving the grand vision of a Digital India, DataWind (TSX: DW), a leading provider of low cost Internet connectivity and wireless web access products, today redefined the meaning of affordability, with the launch of its most affordable smartphone range starting at just Rs 1999.
The revolutionary new range of PocketSurfer smartphones were unveiled by H.E. the High Commissioner for Canada to India; Nadir Patel, Parliament Secretary to Minister of International Trade, Canada; Mr. ParmGill, President & CEO of DataWind; Suneet Singh Tuli, Prof N.K. Goyal, President of CMAI; and Mr Sujith Haridas, Deputy Director General, Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).