Smartphones for a ruble or free cheese. Smartphone for ruble 2 smartphone for 1 ruble

In the world operator's practice, the provision of equipment to subscribers on preferential terms, when concluding an agreement, is a common thing. A brand new iPhone sells for a dollar in the United States. But only when signing a long-term contract.

In order to keep up with their Western colleagues, Russian companies also hold promotions offering to buy smartphones for 1 ruble. Apple products, of course, are not listed among the devices.

Promotions and special offers of operators

At the time of this writing, only MTS offers to buy a smartphone for 1 ruble. This opportunity is provided to loyal corporate subscribers of the company who have at least 15 numbers on the balance of the enterprise. The list of devices available for purchase includes both OEM devices from China and top models of world brands. The list of the latter contains Samsung Galaxy A3, A5 and S6.

Private clients of the red-and-white operator cannot buy Galaxy S6 for 1 ruble. But special offers for users of prepaid services also apply. They are not so attractive, but they can seduce an unprepared person. So, for 990 rubles, Alcatel One Touch POP C2 or One Touch PIXI 3 is offered.

By paying 1490 rubles, you become the owner of the MTS Smart Start smartphone. In addition to buying a phone for the indicated “discounted” price, you will be obliged to use the tariff that is stipulated by the promotion.

Both Alcatel models offered by MTS have similar characteristics and are among the most affordable smartphones on the market:

  • 4-inch screen with a resolution of 800x480 pixels;
  • inexpensive dual-core MTK processor;
  • 512 MB of RAM;
  • the amount of internal memory is 4 GB, of which half is available to the user. There is support for memory cards up to 32 GB;
  • 3 megapixel camera (for both Alcatel devices).

The main difference between MTS Smart Start and the models described above is a 5 megapixel camera.

Beeline offers to buy at a special price of 990 rubles. two models: Jinga BASCO X1 and Micromaxs 300 BOLT. To do this, you need to subscribe to the “All for 400” tariff plan and pay for services in advance 4 months in advance (2590 rubles in total).

According to the characteristics of Beeline smartphones, the situation is similar. The devices are the most budgetary, only Micromax is based on the Spreadtrum chipset, and the camera resolution is just 2 megapixels. Jinga runs on an MTK processor but is otherwise similar.

Megafon is not organizing such attractive promotions now. Inexpensive devices sold with the service package are Megafon Login and Megafon Optima. They cost 1490 rubles. A prerequisite for purchasing is payment of the tariff plan in advance (for 6-12 months). It is 350 rubles / month. for the first model and 199 rubles / month. for the second.

Login operates on the MTK 6572 chip, but the phone display is from the previous generation. The resolution is 480x320 pixels, with a diagonal of 3.5 ″. Optima has a sharper screen: the diagonal is 4 inches, and the resolution is 800x480 pixels. The rest of the devices are similar. They are equipped with 512 MB of RAM and 4 GB of internal storage. In addition to the screen, smartphones differ in cameras: “Login” has a sensor resolution of 2 MP, “Optima” - 3. The devices are devoid of flashes.

An attraction of unprecedented generosity or a pragmatic calculation?

If in American conditions the fact that the device will pay off with interest to both the operator and the manufacturer does not raise any questions, then in the Russian market the situation becomes controversial. Indeed, in the United States, upon signing a two-year contract, the subscriber undertakes to pay for an iPhone 6 128Gb device with a contract - $ 399 and use the operator's services for up to 2 years. While without a contract, the same smartphone costs $ 849.

In Russia, according to the Beeline promotion, in March 2015, it was possible to redeem a smartphone for $ 1000, with a discount of as much as 1000 rubles. At the time of this writing, in online stores on our portal, the best price is found in the region of $ 836. It can be concluded that such grandiose actions as in the United States are out of the question in Russia.

Striped tricks

A promotion from Beeline, which offers for 990 rubles. to acquire a new device implies the purchase of a package of communication services for the amount of 2,400 rubles. The client will have to pay 3390 rubles.

On Chinese trading floors, the wholesale cost of similar devices starts at $ 25–30 (at the current exchange rate, it is 1,700–2,000 rubles). Therefore, VimpelCom JSC does not incur losses, and thus acquires a client who will be forced to use the services of the Beeline network while it has this device. Promotional smartphones do not support other operators.

Moreover, the operator does not hesitate to indicate in the conditions of the promotion that the speed of data transmission on the Internet depends on the type of network in which the subscriber is located. It can be GPRS or EDGE, 3G and even LTE. But here's the bad luck - promotional devices do not support LTE networks.

What is MTS hiding in its egg?

You also buy budget smartphones from MTS at cost price, paying for the tariff plan that is imposed. You will not get pleasure from the devices they offer.

For the same cost, and sometimes less, you can purchase a similar device, and sometimes even better. Just go to our catalog of smartphones, sort by price and see offers from different online stores in the country.

You will find a device that is in no way inferior to those offered above, but you will not be tied to certain tariffs. If you have not had a smartphone before and want to understand what an operating system is in a smartphone and use applications without problems, then we recommend choosing a device at a price of $ 50 or more. Everything that the market offers at a lower cost is practically indistinguishable from conventional touchscreen or keypad phones. A modern device can be found starting from $ 100.

The proposed smartphones from MTS can hardly be called smartphones.

Analysis of the functionality of promotional smartphones "for the ruble"

Users note an acceptable price and convenience (there is no need to wait for a package from China), but the subscriber does not receive a clear win. In the corporate segment, tariff conditions become the object of criticism. The costs of purchasing a device and paying for communication services lead to the fact that a smartphone is purchased at full cost.
The analysis also showed that they have a short battery life. Megafon Login lasts 4-6 hours in web surfing mode. Against the background of 7-8 hours, inexpensive competitors look weak.

MTS smartphones, judging by the reviews, suffer from the same drawback. Although the MT 6572 does not have an appetite for power consumption, a 1200 mAh battery is not enough for it. Promotional smartphone cameras are another weak point. They only know how to make a shot in the bright sun.

Megafon Optima is also criticized for the screen: although the resolution is 800x480 pixels, the viewing angles are far from ideal. Color distortion appears when tilted. Even video in landscape mode is uncomfortable to watch.

512 MB of RAM make themselves felt. When you run several programs at the same time, the earlier ones are minimized to the cache. Reverse unloading requires a wait of 3-5 seconds. Browsers (Chrome, Opera Mobile and Mini, Firefox) can suddenly crash due to lack of RAM.

The fact that the new devices are "locked" for work with one operator does not bring joy to users either. If you bought the device from Beeline, then he will refuse to work with SIM cards from other companies.

conclusions

It is impossible to buy a smartphone for 1 ruble (conditionally) in practice. Remember, you will have to pay for the device. After all, the cost of the equipment was taken into account when setting the monthly subscription fee, which often cannot be abandoned.

Users who are just starting to get acquainted with smartphones will find the promotion beneficial. For them, the insufficient level of functionality (weak cameras, lack of memory) of promotional devices may not be a serious disadvantage, and the terms of the tariff may correspond to the needs. The short battery life becomes a counter-argument.

The most popular online store AliExpress hides many secrets on how you can buy home appliances, gadgets and accessories for just one ruble.

We figured it out, and now we will tell you. The main thing that needs to be done first of all is to install the AliExpress mobile application [download in the App Store] on your smartphone and register in it.

What is the advantage of the AliExpress iPhone app?

Honor 7C. For rational students

A popular smartphone that boasts a pleasant 5.7-inch IPS display protected by 2.5D glass, a dual camera, an NFC module, a 3.5mm audio jack and a tray for two SIM cards and microSD.

The device is running Android Oreo, coupled with the proprietary shell EMUI 8.0.

Doogee X53. For picky schoolchildren

An excellent budget solution.

The smartphone boasts a design normal for its money, a simple but large 5.3-inch display, a slot for two SIM-cards and a dual camera.

ZTE Blade A2S. For those who need fingerprint protection

Elegant smartphone with a large 5.2-inch display, a fingerprint sensor on the back of the device. The heart of the smartphone is the powerful eight-core MT6753 chip.

Meizu M6T. For those wishing to buy the hot 2018 fashion novelty

The device can surprise you with a durable polycarbonate case, a large 5.7-inch display with an aspect ratio of 18: 9 and the presence of a fingerprint scanner.

The camera in the smartphone, as expected in 2018, is double. The main module has a resolution of 13.0 MP and an f / 2.2 lens.

Xiaomi Redmi 6A. For selfie lovers

One of the best budget solutions on the market. With a normal 5.45 inch display with an 18: 9 aspect ratio, an adequate 13MP main camera and a 5MP front camera. Thanks to the latter, you can take a cool portrait shot, a whole set of filters and a special Beautify mode will help with this.

The smartphone itself runs Android 8.1 with a proprietary MIUI 9.5 shell.

About the promotion - subscribers are invited to get a Samsung Galaxy J120 smartphone for just one ruble when connecting to a certain tariff. Today we will talk about how it works, what results it can bring and how to implement such a project without errors.

Why does the operator need it

To get a smartphone on such favorable terms, users will have to connect the MGTS converged tariff. It costs 700 rubles a month and allows you to get fixed Internet access at a speed of 150 Mbps, 20 GB of mobile traffic and 500 minutes of calls. After two years of using the services, the phone becomes the owner's property.

At the same time, if the user decides to abandon some of the MGTS services or change the tariff, he will have to pay extra 349 rubles per month for using the smartphone until the expiration of two years. If the contract is terminated in full, then you must return the residual value of the smartphone - 7990 rubles (on the "Market" the average price of the device is about 6900 rubles) minus the number of months of use multiplied by 349 rubles.

MGTS representatives stated that in the future the range of devices offered on such terms could be expanded, the company plans to sell "tens of thousands of smartphones".

Vedomosti journalists talked to experts who reported that the average "lifespan" of a broadband subscriber in Moscow in the provider's network is 28 months, while the churn rate is about 20%. They are confident that the MGTS action will increase the service life and reduce churn, including by "poaching" subscribers from other operators.

How it works

Tariffs that include services and equipment - as in this case, Internet access and calls for 700 rubles and a smartphone for 1 ruble - are called contractual. In such cases, the cost of the equipment is included in the subscription fee, and the subscriber is obliged by contract to pay it on time within the agreed period. Earlier, we talked about the advantages of such tariffs using the example of equipment provided by operators "as a gift". Let us list the main theses again.

So, the idea of ​​contract tariffs is simple: in exchange for preferential terms of connection, the subscriber assumes additional (in comparison with the usual tariffs) obligations for payment and the term of using the services. No one will give him anything just like that, therefore, in exchange for preferential conditions, the subscriber undertakes to continuously use the operator's services for a certain time, and if the payment terms are violated, penalties are charged.

The use of contract tariffs allows operators to solve several problems at once:

  • Reduce entry threshold... In many cases, subscriber equipment is not cheap - smartphones, digital TV set-top boxes, etc. The contract tariff allows the operator to expand the base of potential customers, and subscribers do not have to immediately pay a large amount upon connection.
  • Boost ARPU... The real cost of the equipment is included in the monthly payment for services, which is usually higher in the contractual tariff than in the tariff without receiving the equipment. As a result, during the term of the contract, the operator not only returns the costs, but also benefits. In addition, after the expiration of the contract, the subscription fee does not change, and a significant part of the subscribers will simply forget to change the tariff - so for some time customers will actually continue to pay for the equipment that has already paid off.
  • Retention of subscribers... To disconnect from the operator on a regular prepaid tariff, you just need to stop paying. As a result, it is easier for the subscriber to disconnect than to continue using the services. Not so with contract tariffs - here you need to either return the serviceable equipment to the operator, or money for it. It seems that it is simple, but for the majority of subscribers such a condition will become an insurmountable obstacle, and they will continue to pay. Only the most dissatisfied will reach the termination.

If we consider the MGTS case in more detail, then the mathematics will turn out to be something like this. As a result, the subscriber will pay about 350 * 24 = 8400 rubles for a smartphone - the purchasing wholesale price of such devices should be supposedly 5000-5500 rubles. Quite acceptable figures, even taking into account the cost and risks of a two-year installment plan.

In addition, the operator will be able to attract new subscribers to the MVNO project with a new tariff, and will also be able to reduce by several times the outflow of broadband access users among those who have connected. Of course, there is no open data on the outflow of MGTS in the public domain, however, based on our experience, it can be assumed that from the average market rate of 25% of the subscriber base per year, it will fall to 5-8%.

This means that MGTS will not need to compensate for losses from quickly disconnected subscribers at the expense of loyal customers. As a result, the operator will be able to have good margins while maintaining attractive prices. In the case of a bundled tariff with a smartphone for a ruble, the operator draws the attention of users that they will be able to save "up to 15 thousand rubles a year": 8000 rubles for buying a phone, and about 7000 rubles for communication services.

Thus, even in the Moscow conditions of tough competition, competent marketing allows the operator to achieve good results and even increase the subscriber base by "pulling" users from less flexible companies.

What it takes to be "like MGTS"

Contract tariffs are beneficial for the operator - if they are implemented correctly. The main task of the company is to monitor the subscriber's fulfillment of his contractual obligations. Only if users comply with the terms of the contract (that is, pay in full and on time), it will be beneficial to the operator.

When we were faced with the task of implementing contract rates in our Hydra billing system, it turned out that it was not at all as easy to solve as it was supposed. It turned out that there are many pitfalls and edge points: for example, it is necessary to be able to correctly handle cases of warranty replacement of equipment, the transition of a subscriber to a more expensive tariff plan, replacement of equipment with a more expensive one, early termination of the contract, and so on.

Any company that decides to implement contract rates on its own will face these questions. It will be difficult to avoid errors along this path, and therefore it makes sense to use billing solutions in which this functionality has already been tested by other operators.