Jio's share of data traffic in India rose to about 60% in FY24: Reliance Industries annual report

New Delhi: Telecom major Jio's share in the overall data traffic in India increased to about 60 per cent in 2023-24, according to the annual report of parent firm Reliance Industries Limited.

Jio’s ahead-of-the-curve investments in next-generation network and digital technologies would sustain a competitive edge and market share gains, it said and added this will ensure strong and consistent shareholder return over the coming years.

In the annual report, Reliance Industries' Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said Jio turned a "Data Dark India" into a "Data Rich" nation with affordable, high-speed 4G data, and followed it up with a 5G network rollout across India in world-record time.

According to the annual report, the rollout of the next-generation fixed wireless networks would catalyse demand for high-speed fixed broadband. Rural areas are expected to see a higher uptake of these services due to limited last-mile infrastructure currently.

The report further said Jio’s indigenously developed technologies are being deployed at scale in India and will subsequently be taken to the rest of the world.

With highest average per capita data usage at 28.7 GB per month in the March 2024 quarter, the company has recorded a 31 per cent year-over-year increase in overall data traffic to about 149 exabytes during FY 2023-24 with increase in 5G user base as well as its fixed broadband connections.

An extraordinarily large unit of digital data, one exabyte is equal to one billion gigabytes.

"Jio has built enough data capacity to serve over a billion Indians for their digital needs at homes, offices, and on-the-go. Jio’s share of data traffic in India has increased to about 60 per cent, making it the most preferred broadband network," the RIL annual report said.

The company leads the Indian telecom market both in mobile and fixed line segment with a total subscriber base of 48.18 crore comprising 10.8 crore 5G users and 1.2 crore fixed broadband users.

"The Jio True5G network now carries almost 30 per cent of Jio’s mobility data traffic, and the entire 5G data is now carried on Jio's own 5G+4G combo core. Jio is the only operator in India rolling out 5G on Standalone architecture," the report said.

Highlighting the opportunities, it said Jio’s all-India True5G network is "strongly positioned" to lead the progress towards 5G in India. Jio’s deep fiber presence and rollout of fixed wireless access services are primed to connect 100 million premises with digital solutions, it said emphasising that Jio’s connectivity and compute infrastructure would drive market share gains.

On the threats landscape, the annual report said that disruptive technological changes could make current technologies obsolete and that entry of a new disruptive player or price competition could impact long-term returns.

"Jio’s ahead-of-the-curve investments in next-generation network and digital technologies would sustain a competitive edge and market share gains. This will ensure strong and consistent shareholder return over the coming years," the report said.

The company is also making concerted efforts in building capabilities in evolving technologies such as AI/ML (Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning), AR/VR (Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality), robotics, natural language recognition and processing.

Ambani said the world is increasingly recognising India as an innovation hub, and asserted that Jio will continue to play a stellar role in building the nation’s digital infrastructure and capabilities.

"With the launch of Jio 4G in 2016, we set out on a journey to make digital inclusion in India a reality. Jio turned a Data Dark India into a Data Rich nation, supplying every Indian home with affordable, high-speed 4G data, and this year, Jio has further enhanced the country’s digital infrastructure by rolling out its True5G network across India in world-record time," he said.

Describing the launch of JioBharat phone as another revolutionary step towards bridging the country’s digital divide, Ambani said: "A smartphone at the price of a feature phone, the JioBharat phone will go a long way in the realisation of a 2G-mukt Bharat."