INDIA & IT'S INTERNET USAGE

The most recent update regarding, going pro-digital in India will be of Jio. On July 21st Ambani has announced that Reliance Jio will offer free 4G-enabled phones to all its subscribers, although buyers will have to put down a “fully refundable” one-time security deposit of Rs1,500. Ambani has mentioned that Jio is specifically targeting crores of Indians who are still not able to access digital empowerment. This single move by Reliance Jio will likely break tariff barriers in India, one of the world’s largest telecom markets, where even today, only one in three users can afford a smartphone. With one stroke, not only has Reliance Jio promised a data-filled life for these low-end telecom customers, this single move is likely to also shake up India’s telecom market like never before.

About 323 million people in India accessed the internet through their mobile phones in 2016, which corresponds to about 24.3 percent of the country’s population. Both figures are forecast to increase in the coming years, with projections to amount to 524.5 million and around 37.4 percent respectively in 2021. Mobile internet usage in India varies according to people's living areas. As of 2016, India had an estimate of 262 million mobile internet users living in urban communities, and 109 million living in rural areas. These data will be soon changing due to the introduction of Jio Phone.

Besides this, Reliance has also announced to give free Wi-Fi to college students, 3 crores may benefit. The company has already submitted a proposal in this regard to the Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry. Reliance Jio had last month made a presentation before the HRD ministry and expressed a desire to connect close to 38,000 colleges (technical and non-technical) across India by deploying free Wi-Fi connectivity. Reliance Jio’s free WiFi service is known as JioNet, and it is available in some cities already. Reliance Jio users who recharge for the service will find that the service also gives them access to some data on the Jio free WiFi services. Users can log in to the Jio WiFi with their Jio number, and access the high-speed internet via WiFi.

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