Reliance Jio’s 5G Surges Past 268 Million Users; Ambani Unveils Plan to “Connect India from the Skies”

Reliance Jio’s 5G Surges Past 268 Million Users; Ambani Unveils Plan to “Connect India from the Skies”​

Reliance Jio has achieved a significant milestone in its consumer connectivity vertical, with its 5G subscriber base crossing 268 million. Akash Ambani confirmed this progress during Reliance Industries' 49th Annual General Meeting on Friday. This achievement makes Jio the largest operator of a single telecom network outside China.

The company reported that it added 77 million net 5G subscribers over the past year. Looking ahead, the organization has set an ambitious goal to migrate all its users onto 5G technology by 2030.

Rapid Expansion of Jio’s Digital Ecosystem​

Jio is rapidly expanding beyond mobile connectivity through advanced fixed broadband solutions like Jio AirFiber. This network service has successfully connected 13 million homes across the country. Furthermore, AirFiber is expanding daily, adding nearly 60,000 new households every day to its base.

Ambani stated that a core focus of the company remains bringing home broadband access to all parts of India through Jio AirFiber. The commitment to technology extends into artificial intelligence (AI) integration.

Jio is increasingly embedding AI into consumer technologies. This initiative aims to deliver a "smoother, smarter and more personalised" user experience to its growing base. Technologies developed by the company to address challenges in India are being strategically positioned as key pillars for their future export strategy.

Connecting India from the Skies: Satellite Strategy Unveiled​

While Jio has successfully connected India on the ground through advanced networks, Ambani announced that the focus must now shift toward space connectivity. The company is actively evaluating the development of a sovereign Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation specifically for India.

In addition to internal development efforts, Jio is currently leasing capacity from several leading global satellite operators. This strategy is being employed to accelerate service rollout while building long-term capabilities. Satellite connectivity is crucial for serving remote villages, island communities, and border regions of the country.

To support this massive initiative, Jio is concurrently constructing its own ground station infrastructure within India. These stations are fundamental to establishing a complete satellite broadband ecosystem and bolstering national self-reliance in space-based communications.