Reliance Jio’s JioFiber internet service is launching commercially on September 5. Currently, JioFiber registration is underway and the high speed internet service is said to run completely on a fiber optic cable network. While there are some things that are still unknown about the service, we do know a lot about what it will offer. The announcement of the service’s commercial rollout was made at the 42nd annual general meeting (AGM) by the company’s chairman and managing director, Mukesh Ambani.
The service was being tested in multiple cities with limited users but it is expected to go live in multiple cities on the slated date. If you have signed up for a JioFiber subscription, chances are that the company will also offer a Jio set top box with it. While more details about the service are expected to surface on September 5, here are the five things you need to know about it.
Reliance announced that its JioFiber service will be priced between Rs 700 and Rs 10,000. While there are no plans announced yet, rumours suggest that the base plan by JioFiber might start at Rs 700. We also already know that the service promises speeds starting at 100mbps, which can go up to 1Gbps. This means that there’s a possibility that a plan starting at Rs 700 would offer 100mbps speed, but there’s no info on how much data the company will offer. Knowing Reliance Jio, it is possible that the company might offer 20 percent more than its competitors.
The option to sign up for JioFiber service is up on the company's website and the MyJio app. Additionally, users who opt for the service on launch will get an HD or a 4K LED television, along with a 4K set-top-box free of cost. While details about how one can avail the offer are still unclear, we presume that users who go for more expensive annual plans might get a 4K TV while those who opt for less expensive plans could get an HD LED TV. However, this is currently speculation on our part.
There could also be different subscription tiers in the JioFiber service. During the announcement, the company mentioned that Premium JioFiber subscribers will get some extra benefits. One interesting announcement was that Premium JioFiber subscribers will get to watch First-Day-First-Show movies from their homes, at the same time when the film hits the theaters. This particular service is slated to launch by mid-2020 but we could get some more information on this on September 5.
As per Reliance Jio, JioFiber plans will come bundled with a subscription to OTT platforms. This is similar to how different network providers are partnering wiṭh content provider platforms to offer free benefits to its users. While Jio has not hinted at any services, Hotstar, Netflix and Amazon Prime Videos subscriptions could be offered with JioFiber services. This also won’t be too surprising since the company already offers access to media and entertainment via its JioTV app.
JioFiber will also be offered with a fixed-line service that will enable users to place free calls nationally. The price levied for international calling via JioFiber’s fixed-line calling service are touted to be the lowest, one-tenth of existing industry rates, as per the company. A new unlimited international calling pack for US/Canada will also be available for Rs 500 per month.
One of the major things to look forward to with the JioFiber service has to be the connectivity and features it is said to enable with the Jio 4K Set Top Box. With the set-top box that Jio demoed at the 42nd AGM, it seems like one will be able to experience VR, play games and call any operator or device, including video conferencing and more. The set-top box is also touted to support ‘console-grade’ gaming with zero latency. It’s unclear what gaming platform it supports, but Jio said the box supports every gaming controller and has an in-built graphics card.