Jio Shifts Focus to New Revenue Streams

Reliance Jio Platforms is prioritising the introduction of new services to increase revenue rather than relying mainly on telecom tariff hikes, Managing Director Akash Ambani said. Speaking at a press conference related to the company’s IPO, he identified mobile, home broadband, enterprise and international services as key growth drivers. He said India could see 340 million customers adopting 4G and 5G home broadband connections between 2026 and 2031, with Jio aiming to capture a major share of the market. As of March this year, Jio had 28.6 million fixed broadband customers. The company accounted for 67.5% of new fixed broadband connections added in India during the previous financial year, he added.

Akash Ambani also indicated that telecom tariffs may rise in the future, although he did not specify when. He said the company would take a decision at the appropriate time. According to him, telecom and data charges in India remain among the lowest globally. He recalled that following Jio’s entry into the market in 2016, the burden of telecom charges had fallen to around 1% of India’s average per capita income.

Jio is also working towards developing sixth-generation, or 6G, telecom technology, Ambani said. The company aims to introduce the technology within the next decade. He added that telecom operators may not need to make substantial investments in infrastructure to adopt Jio’s 6G technology, as updating existing software could be sufficient. Global 6G standards are expected to be finalised by 2029. The technology could help Jio provide additional services to its existing base of around 540 million 4G and 5G customers, he said.