The Jio Air Fiber was unveiled by Reliance Jio Chairman Akash Ambani during the 45th Reliance Annual General Meeting (AGM). Jio Air Fiber is essentially a wireless plug-and-play 5G hotspot device that will provide users access to fiber-like, ultra-high-speed internet at their homes and places of work. During the AGM 2022, the company revealed the Jio Air Fiber’s design, features, use cases, and more.
Let’s explore Jio Air Fiber and the 6 things we currently know about the new service.
6 Things we know about Jio Air Fiber
Plug and play device – As shown off at the Reliance AGM, the Jio Air Fiber will be a 5G hotspot device that will work in a plug-and-play setting to provide access to high-speed fiber-like connectivity.
Differs from standard Jio Fiber – Jio Air Fiber delivers internet connection speeds comparable to Jio Fiber. However, the latter is limited to a particular area where the modem is installed whereas Jio Air Fiber can be carried anywhere for ease of use. This is done over the air and has the capacity to support a sizable user base on a single network.
Multiple use cases – During the Reliance AGM, Jio Chairman showcased how Jio Air Fiber users would be able to stream several camera angles of a sporting event simultaneously in excellent resolution over 5G speeds. Due to its extremely low latency on 5G, Jio Air Fiber customers may also participate in multiplayer cloud gaming or hold a viewing party with their friends. Jio is certain that various industries and sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, and education, would benefit from its 5G services.
Price – At the AGM, the company made no mention of the Jio Air Fiber’s price in India but based on the existing Jio Fiber plans and installation costs, we predict that the Air Fiber rates will fall into a similar price range. The hotspot would probably be sold by the company together with a data subscription.
Availability – The company has not yet specified a release date for the Jio Air Fiber 5G hotspot service. The telecom plans to roll out 5G services in select cities by Diwali 2022. It is believed that Jio Air Fiber would also be made available after Diwali in areas where 5G infrastructure has been installed.
Alternatives – A comparable Air Fiber service was also launched by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) in 2020 as a part of the Digital India initiatives. The state-owned company offers wireless service up to 20km from BSNL base stations. Jio will have an edge in terms of overall network performance, cost, and post-sale service which are the downsides of BSNL.
