Airtel offers 4G smartphone at ‘effective price’ of ₹1,399

NEW DELHI: India's largest operator Bharti Airtel on Wednesday said it has tied-up with Karbonn Mobiles to bring bundled 4G smartphone at an "effective price" of Rs 1,399, a move aimed at taking on Reliance Jio ahead of the festive season.

This is the first of multiple partnerships that the company is lining up with mobile handset manufacturers to bring such bundled 4G smartphone options to the market, Airtel said.

While Mukesh Ambaniled Reliance Jio announced in July an Internet-enabled feature phone for a refundable deposit of Rs 1,500, Airtel said its partnership brings an "affordable" 4G smartphone to the market "effectively at the price of a feature phone".

"The customer needs to make a down-payment of Rs 2,899 for the 4G smartphone and make 36 continuous monthly recharges of Rs 169. The customer will get a cash refund of Rs 500 after 18 months and another Rs 1,000 after 36 months, taking the total cash benefit to Rs 1,500," the Airtel statement said explaining its claim of Rs 1,399 effective pricing.

The Android-based 4G smartphone, Karbonn A40 Indian, has dual SIM slots and access to popular apps like Youtube, Whatsapp and Facebook. The offer comes bundled with monthly recharge pack, cashback and data and calling benefits, it added.

Consumers can go in for recharge of any denomination and validity as per individual requirements in case they do not want to go for Rs 169 bundled plan under offer.

But the cash refund benefit is contingent on consumer going in for recharges worth Rs 3,000 within the first 18 months (to claim the first refund instalment of Rs 500) and additional Rs 3,000 over the next 18 months (for second refund instalment of Rs 1000), it added. LONDON: Britain's finance minister says a worst-case Brexit scenario could see all air traffic between the UK and the European Union grounded the day after Britain leaves the bloc on March 29, 2019.

Philip Hammond was answering lawmakers' questions Wednesday about government planning for the possibility divorce talks could end without a deal on trade, security and other relations.

He said it's conceivable "there will be no air traffic between UK and the European Union on the 30th of March 2019, but I don't seriously think anybody believes that is where we will get to." Hammond says the government is "planning for all scenarios including a no-deal scenario."

“At the moment, although of course we hope for a different outcome, we cannot be certain of that different outcome,” he said.

He says uncertainty about Brexit is weighing on the economy, and "we need to remove it as soon as possible by making progress."