Jio AirFiber is Here! Is Airtel likely to lose a lot of its broadband user base?

Remember those days in 2016 when Ambani launched the Jio SIM? He made the internet and calls free for almost 6 months in the beginning.

Back then, most of us thought, “We’ll just switch back after the freebie period.” But guess what? Many of us are still using the same Jio SIM today, even if we keep one more in the second slot, just in case.

Today, Jio’s customer base rose to a whopping 450 million subscribers, with users consuming 25GB of data each month. Plus, Jio 5G is already present in 92% of India’s census towns.

Well, Mukesh Ambani wasn’t about to stop there! He has once again grabbed our attention with something big, big enough to compete with telecom giants like Airtel and BSNL.

So, what’s this next big thing? It’s none other than “Jio AirFiber”. 

What exactly is Jio AirFiber?

Well, last week, on Ganesh Chaturthi, which was on September 19, Ambani launched the Jio AirFiber, seeking to cover 200 million homes. They planned to launch it last year but didn’t quite get there.

Jio AirFiber delivers fibre-like speed with the ability to connect a far larger number since it will not need cables, wires, or optic fibre to provide last-mile connectivity to users.

Just plug it in, turn it on, and that’s it; you’re all set.

This service can cover an area as large as 1000 square feet on the same floor as your home or office. Plus, it comes with handy features like parental controls and also supports Wi-Fi 6.

You don’t need any physical connections for this service to work. All you need are three devices: a 4K Smart Set Top Box, a Wi-Fi router, and a voice-activated remote, and guess what? They’re all provided to you for free!

And here comes the most exciting part: a battle between telecom giants!

Just a month before Jio dropped their own Jio AirFiber, Airtel rolled out their Xstream AirFiber, India’s very first 5G wireless Wi-Fi solution. 

What makes Jio AirFiber different from Airtel Xstream AirFiber?

Well, here’s the deal: Airtel Xstream AirFiber is currently limited to Airtel 5G users in Delhi and Mumbai. Meanwhile, Jio AirFiber is running in eight cities:  Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Pune.

And to destroy Airtel’s offer, Mota Bhai has made sure Jio AirFiber is more affordable and has kept prices lower. Above that, if you sign up for a 12-month plan, they’ll even waive the Rs. 1000 installation charges. Now, that’s what we call a smart business move!

Airtel Xstream AirFiber offers plans starting at Rs. 799, providing 100 Mbps speed for a 6-month subscription. On the other hand, Jio AirFiber starts at Rs. 599, offering 30 Mbps speed with free access to OTT apps for 6–12 months.

Now, Jio AirFiber aims to connect 1.5 lakh connections per day, which is 10 times more than JioFiber, but there’s still a long way to go!

When Ambani launched Jio, it opened the door to technological and economic growth for many. It became a game-changer, transforming the lives of millions, especially for those who couldn’t afford to pay the bill for internet services.

Do you think Jio will beat Airtel in the AirFiber competition too? Have you had a chance to experience either of them yet?

Written By Shivani Singh

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