A brand new app from Tiktik, called My Best Recharge Offers – Latest | Compare & Port is aimed at helping Android users in India find the best network provider for their area and is now available on the Google Play Store. More directly, My Offers utilizes information pulled directly from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and a user’s device to provide an up-to-date listing of price, data speed, and connectivity options available in that user’s local area. Those providers include Airtel, idea, Vodafone, Jio, Reliance, Telenor, Docomo, and Aircel. Users can browse through individual plans available in their local area, set filters to narrow the automated results down, or can choose to view personalized offers – with up to 30-percent off through the use of the app. Best of all, My Offers actually allows for a phone number to be ported, and an offer activated, through the application itself and multiple SIM cards can be managed separately within My Offers. All of that functionality does, of course, come with a couple of caveats that users should be aware of.
The main functionality of the application is to provide up-to-date insights into what networks are available and what the performance of those networks typically is. However, additional functionality within the application apparently requires permissions access that may seem excessive. Thankfully, Tiktik has opted for transparency and broken down how they claim to use those permissions in the app’s description, but those may still seem to be a bit much for more privacy-conscious users. My Offers makes use of location data to pinpoint where the user actually is in order to find local network coverage. Given the automated nature of My Offers, that permission makes some sense. The app also needs permissions to access SMS and Phone, with the later being used to dial out to check for “the best offers” and SMS required in order to port numbers and for the app’s SIM card features. The developers say the use of SMS permissions is toll-free and that the company doesn’t read SMS messages. Meanwhile, My Offers accesses Photos, Contacts, and Call Log for a secondary functionality called “fun insights.” The feature allows users to share insights with their contacts and the insights themselves provide information about who the user contacts the most and how contact is made – whether by calls or messaging. Some users may find it a bit worrying that the feature works even when the device in question is in Airplane mode, but that shouldn’t be a major concern since data connectivity wouldn’t be required to provide that particular information. Tiktik also says that My Offers doesn’t require a log-in to work but the app does access Identity and Device ID permissions in order to push important notifications to e-mail.
Bearing those permissions in mind, the app does seem to offer a useful and convenient way for Android users in India to ensure they are getting the best value available in their local area. It’s also the first application in India to allow for easy number porting, according to Tiktik. That, in addition to its consistent network information updating and in-app discounts, should be a big draw for anybody operating on a strict budget in one of the world’s fastest growing mobile markets.
