Jio to launch trial of 5G services in four cities on Dussehra

Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. will launch a beta trial of its "True-5G services" on October 5 for Jio users in four cities – Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Varanasi.

The telecom arm of Reliance Industries says a welcome offer will enable its invited customers to trial True-5G services and provide service and user-experience feedback.

Invited 'Jio Welcome Offer' users will be automatically upgraded to the Jio True 5G service without needing to change their existing Jio SIM or 5G handset, the company says, adding that these customers will get unlimited 5G data with up to 1 Gbps speeds.

The beta trial service for other cities will be announced progressively as cities keep getting ready, says India's biggest telecom operator.

Users will continue to avail of this beta trial until the network coverage of a city is substantially complete to provide the best coverage and user experience to every customer, the company says.

Jio says it is working with all handset brands to enable their 5G handsets to work seamlessly with Jio True 5G services so that customers have the most comprehensive range of 5G devices to choose from

"Our Prime Minister has given a clarion call for accelerated roll-out of 5G across India to realize the full potential of a Digital India. In response, Jio has prepared an ambitious and the fastest ever 5G roll-out plan for a country of our size," says Akash M Ambani, chairman, Reliance Jio Infocomm.

"5G cannot remain an exclusive service available to the privileged few or those in our largest cities. It must be available to every citizen, every home, and every business across India. Only then can we dramatically increase productivity, earnings, and living standards across our entire economy, thereby creating a prosperous and inclusive society in our country," Ambani adds.

Jio claims it is the only operator with the 700 MHz low-band spectrum that will ensure deep indoor coverage. The company further says its 5G network has zero dependency on its existing 4G network.

With over 425 million users, Jio says its mission with 5G is to speed up "India's transformation into a digital society."

The launch of 5G services follows 5G spectrum auctions in which 51,236 MHz was allocated to telecom service providers. The cumulative economic impact of 5G on India is expected to reach $450 billion by 2035, according to the Ministry of Communications.

The government recently amended the Indian Telegraph Right of Way (RoW) Rules, 2016 to facilitate faster and easier deployment of telecom infrastructure for 5G rollout. The new rules put a ceiling for RoW charges for installation of 5G small cells and optical fibre cable on street furniture.

In order to build a pan-India 5G network, Jio has committed an investment of ₹2 lakh crore. The oil-to-telecom conglomerate plans to roll-out its 5G service across the country by December 2023. "By December 2023, we will deliver Jio 5G to blanket 3.37 million square kilometres of India’s landmass," RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani had said in August.