Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio is prepping up to change the landscape of broadband services in India. If the Economic Times report is right, after disrupting telecom space, Reliance Jio is set to launch its fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) services in the country July 5. The announcement could be made at upcoming Reliance Industries annual general meeting which will be held in Mumbai.
With the launch of Jio Fiber, the Reliance Jio will vie for the sweet spot in wired connectivity, which is currently dominated by BSNL, Bharti Airtel, MTNL and Hathway cable. Here’s everything you need to know about Reliance Jio’s FTTH services so far:
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1. High-speed internet with FTTH
The Jio broadband is using the latest optic fibre technology to bring high-speed uninterrupted internet directly to your home. FTTH dramatically increases the connection speeds as the connection is made directly from a central point, instead of multiple hubs.
2. Services could be free, initially
Moreover, speculations are Reliance won’t charge its customer for broadband initially, mirroring its mobile network strategy, to attract more customers. It will build its customer base and then roll-out attractive payment plans.
3. Broadband Plan (Expected)
The Jio’ fibre plan could come with an attractive combo of fast connectivity and unlimited video and voice call through the Vo-IP (voice over internet protocol). Initially, the service is said to offer data speeds of 100 Mbps, for a price of Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 a month.
4. Reliance Freebies
The Jio FTTH services, which is running a pilot in many cities, will also offer a range of Jio services like Jio TV and Jio Music, free to its users.
5. Internet of Things (IOT) Ecosystem
The Reliance Jio is expected to build an entire Internet-Of-Things (IOT) eco-system that will benefit from its high-speed internet. Reliance Jio is also expected to launch its internet-enabled car kit, smart metering, security, surveillance and other smart home devices. To recall, in the last quarter of 2017, Jio announced its partnership with Samsung to bring IoT to India.
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How Reliance Jio FTTH Services Will Play Against its Competitors
Bharti Airtel will again be in the firing line of Reliance ultra-fast cost broadband services. The telecom operator already has its broadband services spread across the country; however, the company is not taking Jio’s fibre lightly.
Sunil Mittal, founder and chairman of Bharti Airtel, is prepping to take on Reliance Jio by expanding its reach and build a loyal fan base of 10 million customers by 2021. “Airtel will do whatever it takes to stay competitive on services and tariffs and grow our home customer base,” a senior Bharti Airtel executive told ET.
The effect of Reliance Jio’s FTTH has already started to show. Recently, Airtel offered discounts of 15% and 20% to customers opting for its home broadband packs (offering up to 300 Mbps speeds) for six months and one year, respectively. More deductions in plans are to follow as Airtel will look to keep its 2.5 million-strong home broadband users intact.
