We’ll be ready for 5G by 2020 – Reliance Jio

Reliance Jio owner Mukesh Ambani has stated India will be fully-4G by 2020, and is setting his eyes on the 5G euphoria already.

The statement of intent adds to a remarkable couple of years for Reliance Jio and the Indian digital economy on the whole. Starting from nothing in December 2015, Reliance Jio has risen to become arguably the most influential telco in India, dragging the country’s digital economy into the 21st century. A little over two years ago, India was in the digital baron lands, though now the Indian digital appetites are as insatiable as those in ‘developed’ nations.

“India has moved from 155th rank in mobile broadband penetration to being the number 1 nation in mobile data consumption in the world… in less than two years,” said Ambani at the India Mobile Congress, courtesy of Live Mint. “This is the fastest transition anywhere in the world from 2G/3G to 4G. By 2020, I believe that India will be a fully-4G country and ready for 5G ahead of others.”

Paying complements to the pro-active approach to stimulating the digital economy from the Indian government, Ambani is continuing the ambitious expansion of the Reliance Jio business. 5G is what will attract the headlines, most notably after a few telcos highlighted 5G is not a top priority for some nations at Broadband World Forum last week, but the broadband ambitions are just as important.

Tackling the 5G euphoria and increasing broadband penetration across the country perhaps work happily alongside each other when you consider the importance of a fibre network in both cases. The JioGigaFiber proposition, announced during the company’s AGM in July, promises FTTH connectivity in a market where broadband penetration is roughly 10%. ‘Fibering up’ the country is critical for 5G, and Reliance Jio has already started the mission.

“India will be among the largest digital markets in the world,” said Ambani. “Every enterprise must have an ‘India First’ vision to participate in this market. We will need to reinvent to grow and nurture this market to its full potential. This will be a win-win for the entire industry, for India and for the entire world.”

One interesting question which remains is whether the lessons taken from the Jio-effect can be implemented into other nations which are struggling in the lowly places of the digital league tables.