'Freedom 251' smartphone Booking Close

Mired in controversy, Ringing Bells, the makers of the world's cheapest smartphone, on Saturday closed the booking for its 'Freedom 251' phone, citing heavy demand. Announcing the closure of booking, the company said, "We are humble and extremely grateful for your overwhelming response and trust. Respectfully, this is to advise that the response far exceeds the number that we had expected and therefore, we are now closing the invitation to bookings in this phase 1." The notice on the website read: "We appreciate and acknowledge that we may not have been able to meet the needs of all, but will definitely look forward to serving you again in the next phase." The company said it has received 3.70 crore registrations on Day 1 and 2.47 crore on Day 2 (as of 1949 hours). Touted as the world's cheapest smartphone, the Freedom 251 has been in news globally for several reasons. There were allegations that the company had showcased a riv...