Reliance launches Jio GigaFiber: Here's all you need to know about the fixed-line broadband service

Reliance Jio on Thursday at its 41st annual general meeting has announced the launch of the fixed-line broadband service Jio GigaFiber. GigaFiber was previouly known as Jio Fiber. During his address, Chairman Mukesh Ambani informed that Jio's broadband services would be made available in 1,100 cities in India. Jio GigaFiber will come with GigaFiber router along with the Jio GigaTV set-top box. Mukesh Ambani also informed that the set-top box will allow users to make video calls to other GigaTV devices or mobile connections on any network in the country. 

Speaking about the GigaFiber, Mukesh Ambani said that the service will provide ultra high definition entertainment on TV, voice activated assistance, virtual reality gaming and digital shopping as well as smart home solutions.

"We will now extend fiber connectivity to homes, merchants, small and medium enterprises and large enterprises simultaneously across 1,100 cities to offer the most advanced fiber-based broadband connectivity solutions," he said.

Reliance Foundation’s rural transformation initiatives are focused on establishing strong market linkages for farmers and leveraging technology for better reach and impact. The initiatives now reach out to over 13,500 villages in 15 states: Mukesh Ambani at #RILAGM

— Flame of Truth (@flameoftruth) July 5, 2018

GigaFiber was in beta testing mode. With claimed speeds of up to 1Gbps, Jio's offering is expected to be the biggest greenfield fixed line broadband service globally. Users will also be able to connect VR headsets to their Jio GigaFiber network and view 360-degree content in 4K resolution, Kiran Thomas, President, Reliance Industries Limited, said.

Jio GigaFiber registrations will start from August 15 from the MyJio app and Jio.com. Mukesh Ambani also informed that the company will prioritise the rollout of Jio GigaFiber in localities based on the interest it has received maximum registrations from.

We see our biggest growth in creating a hybrid, online-to-offline new commerce platform of
35 crore customer footfalls at Reliance Retail
21.5 crore Jio customers
5 crore Jio giga-home customers
And 3 crore small merchants and shop-keepers
Mukesh Ambani at #RILAGM

— Flame of Truth (@flameoftruth) July 5, 2018

Listong out the benefits on TV calling, Isha Ambani, said, "You can call every other TV that is powered by Jio GigaFiber. You can also call a mobile or tablet connected to every network. Of course, the best experience will be on the Jio network." Commenting on the broadband services, she said, "Gone are the days of Mbps, now it will be all about Gbps."

He added that the for merchants and small businesses, fixed-line broadband will enable fixed-line connectivity with the agility and customer obsession of a small owner-driven business you empower them to compete on level terms with larger businesses.

Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani on Thursday said that Reliance is India's largest payer of Goods and Services Tax (GST), Excise and Customs Duty, and Income Tax in the private sector.

With the added functionalities and strong retail presence across India, the goal that I have now set for our #Jio team is to enable 100 million users on this #JioPhone platform in the shortest possible time and create another world record: Mukesh Ambani at #RILAGM

— Flame of Truth (@flameoftruth) July 5, 2018

Speaking at the Reliance Industries' 41st Annual General Meeting, Mukesh Ambani highlighted that Jio's subscribers grew from 124 million at the end of last year to 210 million at the end of FY18.

"Jio and retail's share in overall EBITDA from 2 percent to 13 percent," he said while adding that Jio is now India's most widespread mobile network that has a larger reach than even the 2G players.