Mukesh Ambani's Jio Calls For Cessation Of 2G, 3G In India. Here's Why

According to Jio, this approach would eliminate unnecessary network costs and enable the seamless transition of all customers to 4G and 5G services.

Mukesh Ambani-owned telecom giant Reliance Jio has advocated for the complete cessation of 2G and 3G networks in India to prevent unnecessary expenditures and facilitate the migration of all users to 4G and 5G networks. These remarks were made in response to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (TRAI) consultation paper titled 'Digital Transformation through 5G Ecosystem.'

Jio emphasised the need for the government to formulate a policy and a gradual plan for the full closure of 2G and 3G networks, as reported by Mint. According to Jio, this approach would eliminate unnecessary network costs and enable the seamless transition of all customers to 4G and 5G services, providing a significant boost to the development of a 5G use case ecosystem.

The telecom operator stressed the pivotal role of 5G services, its ecosystem, and use cases in propelling digital transformation across diverse industries. Jio highlighted that the faster data speeds, expanded bandwidth, and reduced latency of 5G would empower businesses and innovators, facilitating the realisation of their aspirations.

Simultaneously, Vodafone Idea (VI) addressed the matter in its response to TRAI within the same consultation paper. VI acknowledged the challenge of introducing 5G in low-income groups due to the prevalence of 2G/3G-enabled smartphones and the elevated costs associated with 5G phones.

VI pointed out that a significant portion of the population continues to use older technology (2G), hindering their access to newer technologies like 4G and 5G. The telecom operator highlighted the financial barrier preventing users from transitioning to smartphones and suggested that the government should consider providing subsidies to encourage the adoption of 5G-enabled smartphones, thereby bridging the digital divide in the country.

Meanwhile the nation's largest telco late last week logged a 12.2 per cent rise in its net profit for the December quarter (Q3) to Rs 5,208 crore. Jio's net profit stood at Rs 4,638 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year, according to an exchange filing.

Jio's revenue from operations increased 10.3 per cent to Rs 25,368 crore in the third quarter against Rs 22,998 crore in the year-ago period. Its revenue from operations climbed 10.3 per cent, snapping five straight quarters of slowing growth.

Jio's Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) also jumped 12 per cent in the three-month quarter ended December 31.