Reliance Jio has outpaced China Mobile to become the top global player in data traffic consumption, according to global analytics firm Tefficient. Their data for the January-March quarter shows Jio's traffic soaring to 40.9 exabytes, exceeding China Mobile's 38 exabytes. Jio's 5G user base, now at a staggering 108 million, ranks second globally, with these users contributing more than 28% of the total traffic.
Tefficient shared a post via X, "The total traffic on the Jio network has reached 40.9 Exabytes compared with China Mobile’s 38 Exabytes during the January-March quarter, according to global analytics firm Tefficient. (it should be 38.9 for China Mobile)."
“The monthly usage per AirFibre (FWA) subscription is 390 GB, 30% *higher* than for a JioFiber subscription,” it says.
Jio credits this success to its growing JioBharat phone users and the popularity of its enticing unlimited 5G offers, which, while boosting user numbers, have put a slight strain on its average revenue per user (ARPU).
Analysts predict that Jio's rapid user acquisition and market share expansion will translate into higher revenues, especially post-elections when tariffs are expected to rise. Its home broadband service, AirFiber, has also seen a surge in demand, serving customers in 5,900 towns and boasting an average daily data usage of 13 gigabytes per subscriber, significantly higher than its counterparts.
Jio's ARPU remains at ₹182. Analysts attribute this to the influx of low-cost JioBharat phone users and the ongoing promotional 5G plans that have kept ARPU stagnant.
Brokerage firm JP Morgan highlighted that Jio's competitive 5G pricing has led to a significant portion of its network usage being free, affecting its revenue streams.
In contrast, Bharti Airtel, Jio's closest competitor, has seen a lower data consumption per user but is experiencing an upward trend in revenue, with an estimated ARPU increase from ₹200 to ₹211 by the end of FY24. Analysts emphasise that for telecom companies to capitalise on 5G services effectively, raising headline tariffs will be pivotal.
Reliance Jio Infocomm reported a 13% YoY surge in net profit to ₹5,337 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, as against ₹4,716 crore profit reported in the same quarter the previous year.
Additionally, the telecom operator saw an 11% rise in revenue from operations, reaching ₹25,959 crore in the fourth quarter compared to ₹23,394 crore in Q4 FY23.
