Reliance Jio, which is working on the launch of its fibre-to-home wireline broadband services Jio GigaFiber, will offer automatic routing of mobile voice services through landline networks, thereby improving call quality by reducing call drops in a big way. As is known, fibre-based data and voice calls are of better quality than wireless mobile networks. Jio’s plan is that once its wireline broadband services — Jio GigaFiber — is rolled out, subscribers will be able to set their Jio mobile phones in a manner that once they are home, the voice calls will get routed through their fibre-based landline network.
Sources said it will work in exactly the same manner as today mobile data and Wi-Fi data get synergised. Subscribers having Wi-Fi broadband at home or offices set their mobile network in a manner that once they are indoors the mobile data switches to Wi-Fi data, which is faster in terms of download and upload speeds. Exactly, the same thing will happen with regard to voice services.
Similarly, just as the broadband Wi-Fi router today connects multiple devices indoors for data services, the same will be possible for voice services also with Jio GigaFiber. Unlike the wireline broadband services of other mobile operators today, Jio’s services will be based on internet protocol services through which even television services (IPTV) would be offered.
However, for these services of Jio, there will be no interoperability. This means that the switching of voice services between mobile and fixed line will only work if both the connections are of Jio’s.
This is not currently the case in data services where mobile and broadband can be of different operators and the switching works. All three services — mobile, broadband and TV — will have common billing and the tariffs, though not yet finalised, will be disruptive once again. For instance, all three services can come for a monthly charge of sub-Rs 1,000.
Sources said this system of switching voice calls between wireless and fibre would be extended to enterprises too. For instance, today Jio has a JioNet and JioPrivateNet. These are for enterprises. Wherever installed, all Jio phone data switch to Wi-Fi mode. In Delhi, Max hospitals have JioPrivateNet connections. Once Jio GigaFiber is rolled out, the services will be extended to voice services as well. However, the Jio GigaFiber launch will be not as rapid as that of Jio mobile services. The reason is that fibre needs to be laid till the buildings, which is a tedious and time-consuming process. The launch of the services will be in a phased manner across the country. Even in select cities where the services will be rolled out initially, not all areas will be covered.
For instance, in Delhi-NCR, the company has earmarked certain prime societies in south and east Delhi as well as in Noida and Gurugram, where fibre is being laid and services will be rolled out in the initial phase. Reliance Jio did not respond to an email query on the subject.
At Reliance Industries’ annual general meeting last year in July, chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani while unveiling plans about fixedline broadband roll out had said that in countries with better developed communication infrastructure, more than 80% of data consumption happens indoors through fixed line connectivity in homes, in offices and other premises. He had said that GigaFiber services will be rolled out across 1,100 cities.
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