Hike users can now chat sans mobile data

New Delhi, January 17

Messaging platform Hike on Wednesday launched a new service ‘Total’ that allows Android phone users to chat, read news, book train tickets, make payments and transfer money without mobile data.

The WhatsApp rival, which is betting on people without internet access to boost its user base beyond 100 million, has preloaded the ‘Total’ service onto inexpensive phones of Intex and Karbonn.

Total pops up as soon as the setting up of the Android device is done for the first time, Hike Messenger CEO Kavin Mittal said.

Explaining how the new service works, he said Total sits deep on the operating system and uses USSD tech present in every GSM phone for years to deliver content without the need for 3G/4G data.

While this service allows messaging, access to news, sports scores and astrology, it cannot transfer picture which can be done only through use of data.

For this, Hike has partnered with major carriers like Airtel, Vodafone, Aircel, and BSNL to make low-cost data packs available on Total, with prices starting at Re 1 for 20 MB at 4G speeds. TNS