Reliance Jio is gearing up to launch the Jio Airfiber Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) device exclusively for regular customers, offering a generous discount of up to 20% off the usual market price. This wireless high-speed internet gadget, known as the Jio FWA, is getting ready to make a big impact in the consumer market during the festive season. There’s talk that the launch of this device could be announced on August 28th.
Jio’s Initial Foray into 5G Earnings
According to reports, this marks Reliance Jio’s first major attempt to tap into the potential of 5G after the successful data top-up packages. An informed source cited in the Economic Times suggests that this announcement might be made during the upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM). Traditionally, Jio has introduced new products with attractive offers, and it seems this case won’t be an exception.
Customer Testing Underway
It’s been mentioned that Reliance Jio has already started testing the new device with its customers in cities where the 5G network has been rolled out and stabilized. The company has also provided prototypes of the device to selected individuals, including employees who are familiar with it, for trials in a home environment. According to the Economic Times, Jio’s FWA device will utilize a carrier aggregation technique, which involves creating a data pathway using different 5G frequencies. To enable this, Reliance Jio acquired the 700 MHz, 3300 MHz, and 26GHz frequencies in an auction last year.
Airtel’s Preceding Device Launch
In parallel, Bharti Airtel has taken the lead by launching its own FWA offering called Xstream AirFiber in Mumbai and Delhi this month. The device is priced at INR 2500, with a monthly subscription cost of INR 799. Airtel’s subscription plans are currently available in six-month blocks, making it more affordable for customers with an initial payment of just INR 7,300.
Swedish Telecom Giant’s Predictions
According to Swedish telecom infrastructure provider Ericsson, there were around 100 million FWA connections globally in 2022. This number is anticipated to surge to 300 million by the end of 2028. Notably, a whopping 80% of these connections are expected to utilize the advanced 5G technology.
