Reliance Jio Infocomm carried out this 5G network slicing trial in partnership with OnePlus
Indian carrier Reliance Jio Infocomm and Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus have jointly announced the successful validation of their 5G network slicing efforts at a newly established 5G innovation lab in India. According to local press reports, the partners noted that this development represents a significant step toward enhancing the 5G experience for smartphone users across the Asian country.
Network slicing enables the division of a single physical network into multiple virtual ones, each designed to meet specific requirements. In a recent test, OnePlus and Reliance Jio infocomm showcased the capabilities of this technology on the OnePlus Nord 4 smartphone. By connecting the core network with the device’s chip module, the partners created independent virtual networks that offer different levels of speed, bandwidth, security and reliability. This ensures that various applications can access dedicated slices of the network, they added.
Reliance Jio Infocomm said it aims to commercially launch 5G network slicing technology in India in the coming months. The two companies said they remain committed to fostering innovation in this field and collaborating with global stakeholders to drive the widespread adoption of 5G network slicing in India.
Last month, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) chairman Mukesh Ambani noted that Reliance Jio Infocomm had reached nationwide coverage with its 5G offering.
During RIL’s 47th annual general meeting, Ambani said the telecom operator currently has more than 130 million 5G users. Ambani noted that more than 85% of the 5G radio cells in the country are operated by Jio.
The completion of the 5G rollout also signals a shift in Jio’s focus, as Ambani hinted at a reduction in capital expenditure for the 5G network moving forward. This strategic shift is expected to enhance the telco’s financial efficiency, allowing it to focus on scaling its user base and exploring new revenue streams.
He also noted that JioAirFiber, the company’s 5G-based FWA service launched in October last year, acquired 1 million customers in the first six months and added another million in just the next 100 days. The company is targeting an addition of 1 million home broadband customers each month.
Reliance Jio Infocomm has been rapidly expanding its 5G network using Standalone (SA) architecture since October 2022.
Jio said it had acquired rights for additional spectrum in the 1.8 GHz band in Bihar and West Bengal in the recent auction spectrum auction carried out by the Indian government, increasing its spectrum footprint to 26,801 megahertz.
Reliance Jio Infocomm is exploring the possibility of a major initial public offering (IPO) in 2025, Indian newspaper Business Standard previously reported, citing a note by investment company Jefferies.
The brokerage firm also suggested that Jio might debut with a valuation around $112 billion, potentially contributing a 7-5% increase in the share price of its parent company, Reliance Industries.
