JioBharat: Mukesh Ambani’s Affordable Smartphone Revolutionizes Digital Access in India
Reliance Industries’ 2024 annual report revealed that JioBharat, an affordable keypad smartphone, has achieved an impressive 50% market share in the sub-Rs 1,000 segment. Launched with the mission to empower every Indian with digital services, JioBharat has marked a significant step towards digital freedom for the 250 million feature phone users in India, bridging the digital divide like never before.
Since its launch a year ago, JioBharat has been transforming lives by offering features and digital capabilities such as UPI, JioCinema, and JioTV, enabling various segments of society to achieve more. This affordable device not only empowers users with smartphone capabilities but also provides high-quality and affordable data, making it accessible to the common people.
Despite the recent industry-wide tariff increases, Jio has maintained consistent pricing for JioBharat, allowing users to enjoy full digital capabilities at just Rs 123 per month. In contrast, the most affordable plans from other operators start at Rs 199 per month and enable access to limited functionality, restricted to voice and SMS services, as their feature phones do not support data or LTE usage.
In his letter to shareholders, Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Industries Ltd, stated, “The launch of the JioBharat phone is another revolutionary step towards bridging the country’s digital divide. A smartphone at the price of a feature phone, the JioBharat phone will go a long way in realizing a 2G-mukt Bharat.”
In 2016, when Jio was launched, it left no stone unturned to democratise internet access and pass the benefits of technology to every Indian. With affordable high-speed data and a ubiquitous network, technology was no longer a privilege for a select few. The subsequent launch of affordable devices like JioPhone and the availability of affordable wired broadband (JioFiber) has truly democratised data connectivity.
“With the launch of Jio 4G in 2016, we set out on a journey to make digital inclusion in India a reality. Jio turned a Data Dark India into a Data Rich nation, supplying every Indian home with affordable, high-speed 4G data. And this year, Jio has further enhanced the country’s digital infrastructure by rolling out its True5G network across India in world-record time,” states Mukesh Ambani’s letter to shareholders in the latest annual report released on Thursday.
Doubts Revealed
JioBharat -: JioBharat is a low-cost mobile phone made by Reliance Industries. It is designed to help more people in India use digital services.
Mukesh Ambani -: Mukesh Ambani is the Chairman of Reliance Industries, one of the biggest companies in India. He is very rich and famous for his business ideas.
Reliance Industries -: Reliance Industries is a big company in India that works in many areas like energy, retail, and telecommunications. They make products and services that many people use.
UPI -: UPI stands for Unified Payments Interface. It is a system in India that allows people to send and receive money easily using their mobile phones.
JioCinema -: JioCinema is an app that lets people watch movies and TV shows on their mobile phones. It is part of the services offered by Reliance Jio.
JioTV -: JioTV is an app that allows people to watch live TV channels on their mobile phones. It is also a service from Reliance Jio.
Tariff hikes -: Tariff hikes mean an increase in the price of services, like mobile phone plans. It means people have to pay more money for the same service.
Digital divide -: Digital divide refers to the gap between people who have access to digital technology and the internet and those who do not. JioBharat aims to reduce this gap in India.
2G-free nation -: A 2G-free nation means a country where everyone uses more advanced mobile networks like 4G or 5G, instead of the older 2G network. This allows for better internet and digital services.
