Staff Reporter
Islamabad
To improve digital access, Jazz, Pakistan’s leading digital company has launched Jazz Digit 4G – ‘Pakistan ka smartphone’ (Pakistan’s smartphone). While Pakistan boasts having some of the cheapest tariff rates for voice and data, the main barrier to internet has been the affordability of smartphones. To help address this barrier Jazz has partnered with KaiOS Technologies to release the Jazz Digit 4G smartphone at the most affordable price point, offering a suite of unique features.
Jazz Digit 4G becomes the most affordable smart feature phone on the global market, at a down payment of just PKR 1800 (USD 11*). The customer is required to sign up for a one-year service with Jazz at an extremely affordable PKR 300/ month which includes 1,000 minutes, 1000MB data, free SMS and free calling to doctors along with unlimited Facebook and WhatsApp for the first 3 months.
This initiative targets the wellbeing of the lesser privileged and underserved segment of our society with over 55% of Pakistan’s 165m subscribers using feature and 2G phones with internet penetration standing at 35%. While access to the internet is said to be the most effective driver of GDP for emerging economies.
The smartphone comes equipped with a Jazz Super 4G SIM that powers WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube, Google Maps, Google Voice, and Jazz TV as part of the 200 and more apps they can access at the KaiStore, since the device runs on KaiOS, the third largest mobile operating system worldwide. With a sophisticated front-and-back camera and flash, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Hotspot facility, this phone provides an almost all-inclusive feature set that any leading smartphone may have.
The launch event was attended by leading government and telecom leaders who lauded a private sector company for being invested in improving the country’s digital and financial inclusion landscape.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation and Chairperson BISP, Dr. Sania Nishtar stated.
