Jio is India’s largest digital services platform with a total subscriber base of 410 million across mobility and fixed broadband. Harnessing the world’s best technology capabilities, it is determined to provide world-class fixed-wireless converged connectivity network, complemented with disruptive digital technology platforms for entertainment, commerce, communication, finance and education. The vast Indian market and Reliance’s own ecosystem have allowed deployment of these technologies at scale, opening them up for a massive growth potential.
Jio’s robust connectivity platform has served as the backbone for its offering of best-in-class digital experiences to
its consumers. This capability has been constantly enhanced through partnerships and investment in multiple emerging technologies to serve consumers in India and beyond.
410 million
Subscribers as of March 2022
5 million+
Homes connected by JioFiber services till March 2022
>7.5 billion GB
Monthly Data Traffic in FY 2021-22
~20 GB
Average per capita monthly data usage in 4Q FY 2021-22
Vision
Jio remains committed to connecting everyone and everything, everywhere – always at the highest quality and the most affordable price. Jio also strives to build technology enabled product platforms for a Digital Society – leveraging Indian technical expertise to serve global markets.
Mission
- Affordable data connectivity for every Indian
- Superior customer experience
- Platform approach to all digital solutions
- Invest in emerging technologies
Performance Summary
| Metrics | FY 2019-20 |
FY 2020-21 |
FY 2021-22 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Customer base (million) | 388.4 | 426.2 | 410.2 |
| ARPU (`/month) | 130.3 | 138.2 | 167.6 |
| Total Data Consumption (crore GB) | 1,317 | 1,668 | 2,461 |
| Per Capita Data Consumption (GB/month) | 11.6 | 13.3 | 19.7 |
| Voice on Network (crore mins per day) | 963 | 1,148 | 1,340 |
| Per Capita Voice Consumption (mins/month) | 770 | 823 | 968 |
* Exit quarter
REVENUE AND EBITDA MARGIN
Strategic Advantages and Competitive Strengths
Jio’s extensive reach, simple pricing structure and deep understanding of Indian consumers on the back of its adoption of cutting-edge technologies together ensure a continued ‘Jio effect’ on the digital landscape in India.
Connectivity platform
Jio has built a network to serve every citizen, home and enterprise across the country with over 99% population coverage for mobility network, and almost 20 million homes covered with fiber network, which is ramping up rapidly.
Digital suite of products
Jio has also created a full stack of digital products, platforms and services for multiple ecosystems serving consumers and businesses.
Physical distribution
Through a network of Reliance Retail’s consumer electronics, merchant partners and Jio Associates, Jio has the widest and deepest market presence.
Partnerships
Supported and partnered with globally established, new-age platforms across the full suite of digital and connectivity services.
Technology
Ahead-of-the-curve investment in next generation communication and digital technologies, which could be deployed at scale.
Operating Framework
Bringing many ecosystems together
With a cumulative investment of over US$ 60 billion, Jio is using the transformative power of data connectivity to enable platforms across various ecosystems including Media & Entertainment, Commerce, Financial Services, Education, Gaming and Agriculture.
Our digital society vision is built on the core thesis of the transformative power of data combining connectivity as an enabler with digital platforms across industry verticals.
Highlights FY 2021-22
Performance
Annual operating revenue for Jio Platforms crossed
US$10 billion
in FY 2021-22
Prepaid
`30,791 crore
for clearing all deferred spectrum liabilities acquired in auctions prior to March 2021
Jio won award from OpenSignal for best video experience and continued to hold top positions in 4G coverage and availability. Jio also maintained its leadership in download speed for 60 months in a row in TRAI’s MySpeed rankings
Leadership
Jio Mobility Network continues to lead in user engagement with data traffic increasing 46% Y-o-Y to over 91 billion GBs in FY 2021-22
With 5 million+ connected homes, JioFiber has become the largest fixed broadband provider in India within two years of launch
Partnerships
Jio and Google Cloud
embarked on a comprehensive, long-term strategic relationship with the goal of implementing 5G in enterprise and consumer segments
Jio and Google
announced the launch of JioPhone Next – the most affordable smartphone anywhere in the world with a unique financing option and unprecedented features like an all new Pragati OS
Partnered with WhatsApp
to provide simplified digital recharge option for connectivity and conversational commerce platform on JioMart
Industry Overview
Transition towards 4G networks
The launch of Jio started the 4G transition in India. The 4G subscriber base across the industry is now over 730 million as of March 2022, thanks to increasing broadband network penetration across both urban and rural India and the improving device ecosystem. More than 250 million 2G feature phone users in the country will also be transitioning to digital networks over the next few years. The pandemic’s impact on recharge cycle and tariff hike have caused a transient SIM consolidation, mainly for low usage and inconsistent subscriber base. This has rationalised the reported subscriber base and should bring cost and network efficiencies for the industry.
Increasing smartphones and new use cases boost data traffic
Improving smartphone penetration and increasing proliferation of digital applications have resulted in a 38% increase in data usage across the country over CY 2021 (~137 Exabytes of data usage in India during 2021). According to the Ericsson Mobility Report 2021, total mobile data traffic in India is projected to increase by more than 4x to reach 49.0 Exabytes per month by 2027. This will be driven by two factors – greater smartphone penetration, including in rural areas, and increase in average data usage per smartphone. Jio’s device strategy and sustained investments in digital will be key to this enhanced data usage.
5G rollout
Earlier in the year, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) allotted trial spectrum for 5G services to all operators. 5G field trials are currently underway, with all operators working with their respective network vendors to test the network and develop relevant use cases. DoT and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) are working towards conducting auction for 5G spectrum bands in 2022.
Increasing need for good quality FTTX
India’s leapfrog into mobility broadband has resulted in the fixed broadband sector being an under-invested space for the past two decades. As a result, India has amongst the lowest fixed broadband penetration in the world at less than 10% households.
Fiber penetration is even lower, with most fixed broadband running on legacy copper-based infrastructure. COVID-19 lockdowns and the consequent need to work-from- home and learn-from-home, have reinforced the need for high quality fixed broadband.
Positive changes in the Indian telecom landscape
In September 2021, the Government of India undertook decisive steps in the form of reforms and a relief package to strengthen the Indian telecom sector. Subsequently, all the operators undertook a 20-25% hike across prepaid plans that has boosted revenue growth for the sector.
Emerging Trends and Business Response
Transition towards 4G networks
Transition of 250 million+ 2G feature phone users to digital networks
How Jio is responding?
Jio’s comprehensive device strategy encompassing
JioPhone Next, JioPhone and OEM partnerships and investments into the digital ecosystem would lead this transition
Increasing FTTH penetration
Rapidly increasing demand for high-speed fiber backed internet at homes
Jio’s extensive intracity fiber network, last mile execution, seamless customer experience along with attractive bundling of digital solutions enabled it to emerge the market leader within two years of launch
Digitisation of MSMBs in India
Integrated fiber connectivity and digital solutions for 50 million MSMBs
JioBusiness is now offering enterprise grade connectivity and vertical specific digital solutions in collaboration with partners
Growing ecosystem of B2C applications
Proliferation of broadband connectivity drives adoption of digital applications
How Jio is responding?
Jio has built a suite of solutions and services across entertainment, commerce, communication, finance, education and gaming with leading engagement levels in each category.
5G rollout in India
Trial spectrum has been allocated to operators and spectrum auction is expected in 2022
Jio has conducted field trials of its homegrown 5G stack with competitive position and capabilities comparable to global Tier 1 vendors. Coverage planning has been completed for top 1,000 cities.
Business Performance
Mobile Services
Jio continues to drive India’s digital transformation
Jio’s network carried almost 10% of the global mobile data traffic in CY 2021, and Jio continues to remain the broadband network of choice with over 50% share of India’s data traffic, thereby underlining the ‘Jio effect’ on the digital ecosystem in India. Jio was the digital lifeline during the continuing pandemic. FY 2021-22 saw over 130 million new users join the network on a gross basis and data traffic grow at ~46% Y-o-Y to more than 91 Exabytes.
Customer engagement on Jio network increased further; per capita data and voice consumption stood at 19.7 GB and 968 minutes per month respectively for the quarter ending March 2022. During the year, Jio undertook a ~20% hike across prepaid plans with effect from December 1, 2021. Its new plans continue to provide best value for consumers in the industry across price points. Financial relief for the telecom sector and improving revenue growth potential will accelerate realisation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Digital India and enable India’s transformation into the world’s leading digital society.
Enhanced network capacity
Post the 2021 spectrum auction and trading agreement with Bharti Airtel, Jio’s spectrum footprint has increased 56% to 1,732MHz (average life of over 14.5 years). This has boosted its network capacity to serve the rapidly growing demand for data services. Further, Jio has relentlessly driven network improvement to provide superior customer experience through network automation, next- gen platform deployment, advanced analytics and data sciences. The robustness of Jio’s network was further underlined by the fact that it worked with minimal disruption even during three cyclones and seven heavy rainfall/ flood situations across the country during the year.
Expansion of 4G device ecosystem
Since inception, Jio has innovated to catalyse and grow the affordable digital device system in the country. JioPhone has successfully transitioned over 100 million 2G users in the country over the past four years.
Building on this success, Jio, in partnership with Google, announced the launch of JioPhone Next during the year. This is the most affordable smartphone anywhere in the world, with a unique financing option making it accessible for a much wider set of consumers.
JioPhone Next is packed with unprecedented features like an all new Pragati OS, Translate Now & Read Aloud across 10 Indian languages and a host of preloaded Jio and Google apps. Jio is also partnering with other leading OEMs to provide multiple device options to its subscribers and accelerate the 2G to 4G transition in the country.
Jio leads the March towards 5G-Yukt India
io’s 5G stack is 100% homegrown and a comprehensive 5G solution that is fully cloud native, software defined and digitally managed. This 5G stack encompasses radio and core network, software architecture and hardware equipment, including outdoor small cells and gNodeBs. Jio’s network is built on a converged and future proof architecture that allows for seamless upgrade from 4G to 5G and beyond. 5G coverage planning has been completed in top 1,000 cities based on targeted customer consumption and revenue potential using heat maps, 3D maps and ray tracing technology.
Apart from conducting field trials of its 5G stack. Jio has done active trials of 5G use cases ranging from AR/ VR, low-latency cloud gaming, network slicing and multi-tenancy for video delivery, TV streaming, connected hospitals and industrial applications.
Fixed Broadband Services
Jio continues to see fixed broadband as a significant greenfield opportunity and aspires to connect 50 million homes and 50 million MSMBs in India. Its expansive intracity fiber network, execution abilities, superior customer experience together with its diverse suite and bundling of digital content, tech-enabled tools and solutions will be key differentiators.
Jio is now the largest fiber broadband provider in India
The need for high quality broadband and Jio’s extensive infrastructure and superior services have made it the operator of choice for fixed broadband in the country. Within a short span of two years since its launch, Jio has become the largest fiber broadband provider with over 5 million connected homes with an average data usage of almost 300 GB per home per month. It has continued to roll out last mile infrastructure at an elevated pace and its network covers almost 20 million homes.
#1
Jio’s market position
in FTTH
JioPhone Next, the most affordable smartphone anywhere in the world
Extended suite of digital offerings for homes and enterprises
Jio has been consistently enriching its digital portfolio to augment the fixed- line services to enable work-from- home, learn-from-home, health- from-home, and enterprise grade digital solutions for small businesses.
- Homes – Enhanced STB with JioOS, bouquet of new Jio and third-party applications, Society Centrex, 4K content on JioTV+, Home Secure, Home Automation, LiveTV and Gaming solutions
- Enterprises – Integrated connectivity, cloud, security, and SaaS platform with vertical specific solutions for enterprises
JIO SET-TOP-BOX APP ECOSYSTEM
JIOBUSINESS MARKETPLACE
Business Performance
Jio Platforms
A holistic approach to Jio’s digital society vision
Supported by its technology backbone and customer insight, Jio has indigenously developed and launched numerous consumer applications and use cases. Jio’s in-house R&D team, with over 9,000 technical and research professionals, has innovated and developed leading technology platforms spanning 5G stack, Cloud and Edge Compute, Devices & Operating Systems, Blockchain, IoT, Mixed Reality, AI/ML, Secure Identity and Natural Language Processing, among others. Each of these platforms is now being implemented and scaled up to eventually serve a large and diversified global customer base.
Till date, Jio has been granted 417 patents across multiple jurisdictions for the pioneering initiatives it has undertaken. In FY 2021-22 alone, the company filed for 110 patents and was granted 46. Among the key technology areas covered by these patents are vDLT (Virtual Distributed Ledger Technology), 5G User Equipment, AI for health and agriculture, IoT, Industrial 4.0 and AR/ VR.
Technology partnerships for tailormade digital solutions
Over the past few years, Jio has forged long-term, strategic relationships with leading global technology companies to create a proprietary Jio technology ecosystem across multiple domains. Key partnerships that materialised during the year are:
Pragati OS – Google and Jio worked closely to create the Pragati OS, which is an optimised version of Android made specially for JioPhone Next. Pragati OS will offer full functionality of a smartphone with access to Play Store and provide over-the-air updates support for new features, customisation and security updates that will continue to enhance the phone experience over time.
Commerce on WhatsApp – To drive the adoption of JioMart, integration with WhatsApp was rolled out to allow customers to shop seamlessly on the world’s first conversational commerce platform. Jio has also partnered with WhatsApp to simplify the prepaid recharge experience for all its connectivity services to bring unprecedented convenience to consumers.
Jio AutoPay – Jio partnered with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to enable UPI auto- debit facility for its customers. This will enable Jio customers to set standing instructions on the MyJio app using UPI Autopay for their preferred tariff plans and seamless recharging experience.
Interakt – JPL-owned Haptik launched its app ‘Interakt’ to help MSMEs manage customer interactions and sales on WhatsApp. Interakt is the API solution provider for WhatsApp Business, which acts as an all-in-one CRM, campaign management, marketing automation tool, and a sales channel.
JioThings – Jio has entered into multiple partnerships with leading corporates and government institutions to provide smart connected vehicle, smart electricity metering and smart utility solutions.
Investments to enhance Jio’s technology ecosystem
In addition to scaling up and building organically, Jio has supported and partnered with new-age and established platforms and their management teams across digital services. Some of these key platforms include:
JV for Satellite Communication – JPL and SES, a leading global satellite- based content connectivity solutions provider, entered into a 51:49 joint venture for next-generation scalable and affordable broadband services in India by leveraging satellite technology. The JV will use multi-orbit space networks capable of delivering multi-gigabit links and capacity to enterprises, mobile backhaul and retail customers.
Two Platforms – JPL invested US$15 million for a 25% equity stake in Two Platforms Inc., an Artificial Reality company with focus on building interactive and immersional AI experiences. Two’s Artificial Reality platform enables real-time AI voice and video calls, digital humans, immersive spaces, and lifelike gaming.
Glance – JPL invested US$200 million for a ~17% equity stake in Glance, a leading AI-driven lock-screen platform. Glance is aiming to create the world’s largest live content and commerce ecosystem on the lock screen. It has a business partnership arrangement with Reliance Retail Ventures Limited to integrate Glance’s lock screen platform into JioPhone Next smartphones.
Undersea cable – In conjunction with global partners and world-class submarine cable supplier SubCom, Jio is deploying two next generation cables centred on India. The IndiaAsia-Xpress (IAX) system connects India eastbound to Singapore and beyond, while the India-EuropeXpress (IEX) system connects India westbound to the Middle East and Europe. These high capacity and high-speed systems will provide more than 200 Tbps of capacity spanning over 16,000 kms.
Strategic priorities and progress
Driving 4G transition in the country
Progress in FY 2021-22
- Launch of JioPhone Next in partnership with Google
- Device partnership with leading OEMs in the country
Medium-term priorities
- Ramp up the overall device strategy
- Extend OEM partnerships for other devices
Continuous network improvement
Progress in FY 2021-22
- Accelerated deployment of recent spectrum purchase
- Improvement of customer experience with analytical tools and data sciences
Medium-term priorities
- Improve spectral efficiency and network capacity through offloading networks (wi-fi access points, small cells and more)
- Further enhancement of network automation through a platform approach
Increasing adoption of JioFiber services
Progress in FY 2021-22
- Jio is now the market leader for FTTH services with 5 million+ connected homes
- Increased homes passed to almost 20 million
Medium-term priorities
- Accelerate the pace of homes connect and infrastructure rollout as COVID-19 restrictions ease out
- Enhancement of digital services bouquet
Enhancement of digital ecosystem
Progress in FY 2021-22
- Jio and Google launched Pragati OS for JioPhone Next
- Launch of JioAutoPay, JioThings, Interakt and JioMart-WhatsApp integrated product
Medium-term priorities
- Continue to drive customer traction through launch of innovative and India- focused digital solutions which could then be taken globally
5G Network rollout
Progress in FY 2021-22
- Conducted field trials and completed network planning in top 1,000 cities
- Trial use cases in the areas of industrial automation and healthcare
Medium-term priorities
- Given its leadership in development of indigenous 5G stack and future ready network, Jio is poised to lead the rollout of 5G in the country
Jio 5G in healthcare automation
Given the high speed and low latency of 5G networks, a prime use case is in healthcare for various end uses for patient care and hospital management.
- Hospital logistics – 5G robots controlled by a fleet management system in the Cloud have been used to deliver food trays and medicines to patients, and for UV disinfection and sanitisation
- Connected ambulance via 5G FWA – This was done to stream vital information to the control room in the hospital even as the patient arrived there physically
Innovation in Customer Experience Management
Jio has continued to innovate on both physical and digital distribution channels to further enhance the best- in-class customer experience.
- Self KYC – This enables remote SIM activation using video call-based verification to ensure convenient, error free and fast onboarding of premium customers
- Hyperlocal customer retention and upsell – 40,000+ freelancers fluent in local languages worked as Jio Customer Associates to connect with over a million customers daily
Testing real time robotic control for warehouse automation and asset monitoring
- Warehouse supply chain – 5G robots were used for bagging line to warehouse storage location logistics, a function that would otherwise require human control
- Connected drone – A drone connected through a 5G cloud was used to inspect radio sites and provide real-time surveillance
COVID-19 Response
Ensuring the nation’s digital lifeline remains strong and sturdy
- Jio has continued to be the digital lifeline for all Indians, enabling them to work and
learn-from-home and get medical treatment from the comforts of home - Jio has ensured zero impact on network over the past two years withindustryleadinguptimefor the connectivity network
- Multiple initiatives (free voice calls, Buy-One-Get-One recharges for JioPhone users, Emergency Data Loan) have been undertaken with a customer focused approach to ensure minimum disruption in customer service and business
- Digital initiatives like Jio Associate Program, Self-KYC and relaunch of eKYC undertaken to enhance customer outreach and ensure continuity of recharges/services
Outlook
Jio’s investments to build a world-class digital infrastructure will pave the way towards a premier digital society in India. These solutions are now being implemented at scale to be later taken to the global audience. Newer revenue streams across the connectivity and technology platforms will accelerate the growth momentum and drive operating leverage. These endeavours would not just create a significantly positive socio-economic impact but also generate strong shareholder returns over the next several decades.