Reliance Industries has recently announced the details of Jio's upcoming high-speed broadband internet service, Jio Fiber.
What are the key features of Jio Fiber?
Pricing - Jio Fiber broadband plans will come bundled with a landline connection, HD or 4K set-top box and access to Jio's Internet of Things (IoT).
The subscription to Jio Fiber will start from Rs. 700 a month, with internet speed starting from 100 Mbps.
The average fixed-line download speed in the US, the most developed economy in the world, is around 90 Mbps.
The Rs. 10,000 plan targets 'power users'.
Fixed line connection - Reliance has promised free voice calls for life from the fixed line connection.
Jio is also bringing down the cost of international voice calling and will offer unlimited ISD calling to US, Canada at Rs. 500/month.
Set-top-box - A set-top box will allow access to possibly the largest collection of TV channels.
This is facilitated by Jio’s acquisition of three multiple system operators (MSOs) - DEN, Hathway and GTPL.
The landline, broadband and set-top-box would all be connected via fibre-optic cables.
First Day First Show - Jio will introduce a concept of watching movies that it calls 'Jio First Day First Show'.
The service will be launched in mid-2020 and it will let Premium Jio Fiber users to watch movies as soon as they are released in theatres.
Free 4K TV with Jio Forever - Jio will come up with Jio Forever plans for customers opting for annual plans.
Such long-term subscribers will get an HD or 4K LED TV and a 4K set-top box absolutely free.
Gaming - Jio will support console gaming with compatibility for all gaming controllers.
The set-top box will come with a built-in graphics card.
Jio has also partnered with companies like Tencent Games and Microsoft to bring in more games in the future.
It also promises zero latency (time delay) gaming with its set-top box.
Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality (VR and MR) - Jio’s set-top box will be equipped to support VR and MR content in different categories like shopping, education and movies.
E.g. MR shopping will let users experience the clothes they wish to purchase
Jio will also launch its Holoboard MR headset soon. The MR headset is developed by Tessarect, a start-up Jio invested in recently.
Jio IoT - Jio says that it has developed an innovative service on its pan-India 4G network called Narrowband Internet-of-Things or NBIoT.
Using this service with smart sensors whether residential, industrial or public, Reliance is looking to connect the whole of India.
Jio claims the service will be commercially available from January 1, 2020.
Within 2 years of launch, Jio estimates that there will be more than 2 billion connected IoT devices in India.
The company, at least, aims to connect one billion of those through Jio’s IoT platform.
