Jio’s 5G coverage plan is complete and will turn on the network from 1000 cities. The operator has used 3D maps, Heat maps, and ray-tracing technology for its 5G coverage planning.

With this launch, the operator could be the first to roll out the next-generation mobile network in India.

Reliance Jio has been running 5G trials on advanced use cases across Healthcare and Industrial Automation on its network to “target high-consumption and high-perception locations.”

The company has also announced its partnership with WhatsApp to simplify its prepaid recharge experience for the customers.

Jio’s 1000 Cities Plan in Phases

But while Jio is ready with 1000 cities for its commercial 5G birth, it is likely to roll out in phases as India’s DoT said 5G will kick start from 13 cities initially.

Jio started its 5G trial back in June. The operator used mid-band 3500 MHz and 26 GHz mmWave for it along with its own architecture and claimed a 1 Gbps throughput.

Meanwhile, Jio has increased its average revenue per user (ARPU) to Rs.151.60 (IC) due to the “better subscriber mix and recent tariff hike.” This is an improvement from Rs.143.6 last quarter. In the meantime, the company has also collected a net profit of Rs.3,486 crore.

Jio has also rolled out UPI autopay feature to its customers for an automated recharge system.

Jio, like any other telcos, will launch 5G in both urban and rural settlements as mandated by DoT to narrow the digital divide. The telco serves over 440 million subscribers and with a 5G launch could hit further grounds soon.

As India embarks on the 5G road, Nepal has also geared up for its own. As per reports, the state-owned operator NTC could start testing 5G in mid-band 2600 MHz by June.

5G is arriving in South Asian nations while East Asian neighbors are thriving on it. Should the remaining states wait for better 5G implementations or accelerate with the technology? You can offer your inputs in our comments section below.