Stories
Jio Platforms to Push UBR to Expand Broadband Beyond India
- •Reliance Industries subsidiary Jio Platforms is planning to take its Unlicensed Broadband Radio or UBR technology outside India.
- •It aims to offer UBR as a cost-effective wireless alternative to foreign telecom operators in areas where laying fiber is expensive or difficult.
- •UBR technology provides wireless broadband connectivity using unlicensed 5G bands, bridging the last-mile gap without using licensed spectrum.
- •Jio already serves about 6.5 million customers in India using UBR, delivering speeds of up to 1 Gbps with fiber-like quality.
- •Jio is exploring partnerships in Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia to export its UBR, 5G core, and digital service stacks internationally.
Key Questions Answered
UBR (Unlicensed Broadband Radio) is a technology that delivers wireless broadband connectivity using unlicensed Wi-Fi versions, primarily operating in the 5 GHz band. It enables low-cost last-mile connectivity and Fixed Wireless Access without consuming licensed 5G C-band spectrum, which remains reserved for mobile services. Jio acquired this technology through US-based Mimosa Networks in 2023.
Jio Platforms plans to deploy its UBR and tech stack in international markets with low fixed broadband penetration, specifically targeting rural and emerging markets across Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia, Europe, and East Asia.
Jio's UBR capability is built upon its acquisition of US-based Mimosa Networks through Radisys in 2023, which had developed point-to-point and point-to-multipoint broadband products using unlicensed spectrum.
