Buying a Phone in India: Networks, GST, IMEI and Heat Explained
India is one of the biggest smartphone markets in the world, and it has its own rules of the game. The same model name can hide a different chip or battery here, the network you use decides which 5G bands matter, and the paperwork you get at checkout matters later when you need warranty service or want to resell. This guide walks through what is different about buying a phone in India and the checks worth doing before you pay. 1. Start with your network, not the phone Four operators serve most of the country: Jio, Airtel, Vi (Vodafone Idea) and the state-owned BSNL. Jio and Airtel began rolling out 5G in October 2022 and now cover most large cities, but they built their networks differently: Jio runs standalone 5G, mainly on the n78 (3.5 GHz) band, with n28 (700 MHz) added for wider coverage and better indoor signal. Airtel runs non-standalone 5G, which leans on its 4G network, with n78 as the main 5G band. Vi has started 5G in selected cities, so coverage depends heavily on...