Jio marks a decade of digital transformation, adds 2.36 crore mobile subscribers in Punjab-Haryana-Himachal region
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh: Reliance Jio is set to complete a decade since its commercial launch on September 5, 2016, with the telecom company highlighting its rapid growth and role in transforming India’s mobile and digital connectivity landscape.
According to data cited from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Jio had no reported mobile subscriber base in the Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh telecom circles in August 2016. Within its first month of commercial operations, the company had added 16.5 lakh subscribers across the three circles.
By June 2026, Jio’s subscriber base in the region had grown to 2.36 crore, representing a net addition of around 2.2 crore subscribers and a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 31.4%.
As per TRAI’s June 2026 data, Jio accounted for 32.8% of the region’s 7.21 crore mobile connections. Its subscriber base stood at approximately 1.17 crore in Punjab, 82.7 lakh in Haryana and 36 lakh in Himachal Pradesh.
More than 21 lakh homes and businesses connected
Jio has also expanded its presence in the home broadband segment across the three states.
The company said it has connected more than 13 lakh homes and business premises in Punjab, 6.5 lakh in Haryana and 1.8 lakh in Himachal Pradesh through JioFiber and JioAirFiber services.
Jio said these services have helped expand access to high-speed broadband and digital entertainment across both urban and rural areas, making it the market leader in the home broadband segment in the region.
From affordable data to 5G
At the national level, Jio currently has around 53.33 crore customers, including approximately 28.5 crore 5G users, according to the company.
Jio’s entry into the telecom market in 2016 triggered a major shift in the sector, particularly through its focus on affordable data and free voice calling. The company said the move helped address two of the biggest concerns faced by consumers at the time—high data costs and expensive calling rates.
In 2016, average monthly mobile data consumption in India was below 0.2 GB per subscriber, while the cost of one GB of data was around Rs 228. At the time, fewer than 10 million Indians had access to 4G networks and average download speeds were around 2.5 Mbps.
A decade later, the cost of one GB of data has fallen to around Rs 7.9, a decline of approximately 97%, while active 4G and 5G subscribers across India have risen to around 93.8 crore. Jio said the average subscriber on its network now consumes around 42.3 GB of data per month.
Focus on indigenous 5G technology
Jio said its transformation has extended beyond telecom pricing and connectivity to technology and digital infrastructure.
The company highlighted its investment in an end-to-end, cloud-native standalone 5G network, which it said has been developed with India’s geographical and technological requirements in mind.
According to Jio, earlier generations of telecom networks relied heavily on imported proprietary hardware and software, leaving operators dependent on overseas vendors for equipment, technology upgrades and development roadmaps.
Jio said its investments in network technology, devices and digital infrastructure have helped position the company as a major player in India’s transition towards a digitally connected economy.