Hike launches new product ‘Total’ to allow users access to essential services without data

Messenger app Hike on Wednesday launched a new product called ‘Total, built by hike’ which the company says is a ‘refined’ version of Android. Total allows its users to access services such as messaging, news, and recharge among others without an active data connection. For this, the company has also introduced ‘Total data packs’ starting from Re 1.

Total can be accessed via a single login wherein the phone number will be required for all accessing services. Moreover, the services would take up to 100 KB to 1 MB space on the device, the company said.

The app has made use of its proprietary technology to make services available without data. The technology is based on the USSD protocol which does the heavy lifting of encrypting, compressing and transmitting data.

The company said that has worked extremely closely with telecom partners to enable the USSD technology and data upsell on total, over the last 6 months.

Hike’s smartphone partners include Intex and Karbonn where ‘Total’ will be available on four models across Intex and Karbonn. The Intex devices with Total include Aqua Lions N1, Aqua Lions T1, Aqua Lions T1-Lite and the Karbonn device is A40 Indian. The devices will be available for purchase starting March 1, 2018.

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

“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,” said Kavin Bharti Mittal, Founder and CEO, Hike.

“We’ve worked closely with telcos on special data packs for these phones starting as low as Re 1 to give people a taste of what it feels like,” he added.