When data cost as much as vada pav: How Jio connected a billion dreams

In 2016, Jio entered the telecommunications market. Almost immediately, something happened that surprised everyone: voice calls became free. Data was priced so low that it became as affordable as vada pav.In 2016, Jio entered the telecommunications market. (Photo: Reuters)Have you ever wondered how you would feel if your phone suddenly lost its network? Now imagine living in an area where a network had never reached at all. Reliance made this question its next big dream. After building the country’s largest refinery, it wanted communication to be easy and affordable for every Indian. That dream was called Jio.2016: WHEN THE MARKET CHANGEDIn 2016, Jio entered the telecommunications market. Almost immediately, something happened that surprised everyone: voice calls became free. Data was priced so low that it became as affordable as vada pav.Vada pav is one of the most accessible snacks for the common person. The point was that the internet was no longer something reserved for a few. It came within the reach of ordinary people.100 MILLION PEOPLE IN 170 DAYSWhat happened next was astonishing. In just 170 days, 100 million Indians joined Jio—roughly seven people every second. Put it this way: a minute has 60 seconds, and hundreds of new users were joining the network every minute. This continued day and night, week after week.FROM 155TH PLACE TO AMONG THE WORLD’S LEADING COUNTRIESBefore Jio arrived, India ranked 155th in mobile broadband. In other words, the country was far behind. But within a few months, India was among the select group of leading countries in mobile broadband. It was a remarkable leap in a very short time.REACHING PLACES NO NETWORK HAD REACHED BEFORE One of the most moving parts of Jio’s story is that it did not stop at major cities. It reached forested regions and mountain peaks. It also reached tribal settlements where no network had reached before.Even today, in many remote villages, Jio is the only way people can stay connected with their loved ones. During a medical emergency, it can be their ‘survival kit’. Most importantly, it can be a window to opportunities around the world.2020: WHEN EVERY DOOR CLOSEDThen came 2020, when the pandemic shut every door. Classrooms, offices and doctors’ consultations moved online. Even in that difficult period, the network held firm.Grandparents could see their grandchildren’s faces on video calls. Children continued their education. Families were able to keep earning. Jio helped keep India connected.A DREAM BUILT ON MORE THAN MONEYSo how was something this large made possible? Reliance invested at scale in digital infrastructure, technology and next-generation capabilities. But connecting a billion people and expanding its business took much more than money.It took years of patience, the courage to bet on a single idea, and the determination to keep going when others called it impossible. Mukesh Ambani had all three. Without his resolve, India’s digital revolution might still have been in its early stages.THE STORY IS IN THE NAMEJio means ‘live’. And in many ways, the network gave millions of people the opportunity to live connected lives. This is not just a telecommunications story. It is the story of a dream that reached every Indian.- Ends