Hike introduces “Total” – a refined version of Android which works without data

Hike has announced the launch of a new product called “Total, built by Hike”. According to the company, “Total” is a refined version of Android targeted at the next billion people. It lets users access essential services such as Messaging, News, Recharge and more even without an active data connection and paves the way for them to get on data by providing packs at as low as Re1.

Commenting on the launch of “Total, built by Hike”, Kavin Bharti Mittal, Founder & CEO, Hike, said, “For the next billion true mobile-first users, coming online can be still be quite complicated and intimidating. Simplify, simplify, simplify. That’s all we’ve been doing. We’ve taken the 15-20 step process of someone coming online and made it into only a few steps –  ‘Buy a phone, turn it on and you’re good to go’. Everything, all the essential services all work out of the box even without data.”

Kavin further added, “Our goal is to bring India online and online means data so we’ve also made it extremely simple to buy data packs right contextually inside the OS itself. We’ve worked closely with telcos on special data packs for these phones starting as low as Re1/- to give people a taste of what it feels like. This is really powerful.”

“Total, built by Hike” has 4 key elements to it that combined together make the end-to-end experience extremely seamless:

1. Single Login: A Single Login via the Phone Number for all of Total services such as Messaging, News, Horoscope, Recharge, Wallet, Cricket Scores and Rail information.
2. Light Services < 100 kb to 1 MB: Services on “Total, built by Hike” take between < 100 kb to 1 MB ensuring a lightweight footprint on the device.
3. Works without Data: All of the services built on Total can be accessed even without Data via proprietary technology. Developed in-house, the proprietary technology, based on the USSD protocol does the heavy lifting of encrypting, compressing and transmitting data. It has effectively supercharged USSD to help bring an uninterrupted experience to the users even an active data connection
4. Sachet Data Packs: Users will be able to purchase Sachet Data Packs starting as low as Re. 1 from inside the Total experience itself with the goal of lowering the cost of access and introducing people to data.

The brand in a statement has revealed that over the last 6 months, it has worked extremely closely with telecom partners to enable the USSD Technology and Data Upsell on Total. Airtel, Aircel and BSNL are the telecom partners which cover over 42% of the telecom market.

On the device side, Intex and Karbonn are the first smartphone partners. “Total, built by Hike” will be available on 4 models across Intex and Karbonn. The Intex devices with Total are Aqua Lions N1, Aqua Lions T1, Aqua Lions T1-Lite and the Karbonn device is A40 Indian. The devices are scheduled to hit the shelves starting 1st March, 2018.

Total users will also get up to Rs.200 to spend on any of the services when they buy one of these devices.

Total propels digital inclusion and furthers the national agenda of financial inclusion as well as socioeconomic progress.