[Correction on August 10, 2017]
The news of Reliance JioFiber being launched in 100 cities by Diwali for a tariff as low as Rs. 500 for 100GB was incorrectly reported earlier. The information, which was based on a tweet from Isha Ambani, was not authentic as it came from a fake account.
This means the last official update on the JioFiber launch was last month, when RIL MD and chairman Mukesh Ambani said that the company's plan to foray into the fixed-line high-speed broadband network is "well on track."
We deeply regret the same.
[Original story]
Reliance Jio's 1Gbps broadband rollout was confirmed by RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani's daughter and Jio's board of director Isha Ambani on Wednesday.
Isha tweeted the long-awaited news of Jio Fiber's commercial rollout in India, which has already put incumbents on the edge of their seats. The anticipation surrounding Jio's 1Gbps home and small business broadband will finally end this Diwali, as the company will roll out the service in 100 cities across India.
Isha did not confirm the list of cities where Jio Fiber will be available at launch but gave something better. By her tweet, it is clear that Jio Fiber broadband will be the most affordable service in the country. Jio FTTH broadband will be offered at Rs. 500 for 100GB data per month.
Adding to the release date, price and coverage areas, Isha also shared a photo of JioFiber router, which is a plain white box and its minimalistic design will complement any lifestyle.
The news comes shortly after Ambani confirmed during his AGM speech last month that the company's plan to foray into the fixed-line high-speed broadband network is "well on track." This is great news for those who have been anticipating the commercial rollout of the service since last year.
Reports of Reliance Jio testing its high-speed fiber broadband have ignited a sense of urgency among users. The service has already been deployed in select cities, but only for the purpose of testing. There have been reports from JioFiber testers sharing screenshots of speed tests reaching close to 100Mbps, which is on par with Airtel's V-Fiber and ACT's Fibernet.
But most users have been eager to find out if Reliance Jio will replicate its three months free testing model with Jio 4G for its Jio Fiber. Earlier reports suggested that select cities will receive 90 days free trial for JioFiber with a one-time installation charge of Rs. 4,500, which will be refunded if the user chooses to discontinue the service after the trial.
Even before Jio has rolled out its FTTH broadband, Airtel has been offering bonus data up to 1,000GB to maintain its stance against Jio. After disrupting the telecom industry, Jio's entry into the broadband space puts the stakes high for the incumbents. It remains to be seen how well Reliance Jio can change the face of India's broadband industry.
