Jio Commits INR 2 Lakh Cr For 5G Rollout, Launch In Key Cities By Diwali

Speaking at the Reliance AGM 2022, chairman Mukesh Ambani said that Reliance Jio will launch 5G networks in key cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata by Diwali.

“By December 2023, Jio 5G will reach every town in the country,” Ambani added. The telco has set aside an INR 2 Lakh Cr as a commitment towards 5G deployment in the country. 

Ambani also claimed that Jio’s network, dubbed Jio True 5G, will be the largest network in the world, capable of delivering speeds up to 1 GBPS.

The RIL chairman also claimed that Jio will deploy 5G using the Standalone technology, which employs new network equipment and spectrum to deliver the network to users. Ambani noted that most networks in the world right now are a Non-Standalone (NSA) network, which uses legacy infrastructure to deliver 5G networks but lacks speed and capacity.

Ambani also added that Jio 5G can deliver services such as low-latency, 5G Voice over New Radio (VoNR) and connect billions of IoT devices to facilitate Industry 4.0 applications.

Jio will be launching a 5G experience centre in Mumbai in the coming days to allow users to experience network capabilities.

Ambani also added that Jio is working with Meta for developing immersive technologies, Google to develop affordable smartphones and cloud capabilities, Microsoft to develop cloud-based business applications and Intel for data centres and edge locations.

He further added that Jio is working with Ericsson, Qualcomm, Cisco, Nokia and Samsung to deploy the network across the country. Ambani announced the partnership with Qualcomm at the AGM today.

Speaking further on partnerships, Ambani said, “We are working very closely with global leading smartphone OEMs, and we have their commitment that they will support Jio’s 5G.”

It is prudent to note that Reliance Jio was the biggest spender at the spectrum auction that ended earlier this month. The telco bought the rights to use 24,740 MHz of spectrum for 20 years for a total price of INR 88,078 Cr. 

The telco was the only one to buy all three major spectrums at the auction – the low-band spectrum (700 MHz), the mid-band spectrum (3.3 GHz) and the mmWave (26 GHz), allowing it to launch 5G SA with carrier aggregation.

Per the latest TRAI data, Jio has 413 Mn subscribers, having added 4.2 Mn subscribers in June 2022.