Reliance Industries is all set to roll out its Jio GigaFiber FTTH broadband service in 1,100 cities across India as part of the commercial launch of the service, which has been in testing for the past couple of years. Launching on August 15, Jio GigaFiber service will bring high speed internet via a FTTH network with last-mile connectivity, with speeds up to 1Gbps.
For TVs, there will be a GigaTV set-top box, which will provide users with “600 TV channels, thousands of movies, millions of songs" and other content in 4K resolution. TVs will be able to take voice commands from users with the help of a Jio TV Remote, and make calls to any TV, phone or tablet on the broadband network.
There will also be home security and automation features in partnership with Byju. The Jio GigaFiber-based smart home capabilities will be installed in homes in less than an hour.
Isha Ambani, daughter of Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, today unveiled what could revolutionise Indian telecom sector. Addressing at the Reliance Industries' 41st annual general meeting today at Birla Matushri Sabhagar in Mumbai, she announced the launch of JioGigaFibre, the optical fibre-based broadband service.
The company will extend fibre connectivity to homes, merchants and SMEs. Initially, 1,100 cities will offer most advanced fibre-based broadband connectivity solutions. Two of the main features of JioGigaFibre will be smart home technology and TV calling. JioGigaFiber broadband will come with a set-top box for TV. It will have enabled voice command feature on TV.
"The company has already invested more than $250 million in the industry. We will now extend the service to 1,100 cities to offer the most advanced fibre-based broadband services. This will mean a faster internet experience. A virtual reality experience for all citizens where you can control switches in your house from outside as well. This will redefine 24x7 emergency help for all homes across India. We are calling this the Jio GigaFibre," Reliance Group chairman Mukesh Ambani said while talking about the wired broadband foray — Jio GigaFiber — at the 41st annual general meeting (AGM) of the company.
According to Mukesh Ambani, RIL now has one of India's largest media and entertainment networks in its portfolio and it is the partner of choice for foreign media firms operating in the country.
Jio GigaFiber will provide ultra high-definition entertainment on large screen TVs, multi-party video conferencing from a living room, voice-activated virtual assistance, virtual reality gaming, digital shopping and immersive experiences, Mukesh Ambani said at the AGM.
For large enterprises, fixed-line broadband will mean having the ability to compete in the global marketplace, using digital tools and techniques that are powering the fourth industrial revolution, Mukesh Ambani said.
For merchants and small businesses, fixed-line broadband means when you combine fixed-line connectivity with the agility and customer obsession of a small owner-driven business you empower them to compete on level terms with larger businesses.
Reliance Jio Infocom has doubled customer base to over 215 million within 22 months of its start. "It is a record that no technology company has been able to achieve anywhere in the world," Ambani said.
The company is reported to have 186.6 million subscribers as of 31 March 2018, up by around 83 million compared to 2016-17, with an average revenue per user of Rs137 per month.
"Our new-age consumer businesses achieved leadership positions nationally — their growth rates outpacing the best in the world. Jio, now the world's largest and fastest growing mobile data network, stunned the world and made us proud by turning profitable in the very first year of operations," Ambani said in June.