Reliance Jio joins Cellular Operators Association of India

NEW DELHI: Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Jio Monday joined the GSM lobby group Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) that represents Bharti Airtel, Vodafone India, Idea Cellular, Aircel and Videocon Telecom.
With Reliance Jio as its core member, COAI’s core membership has gone up to seven, said association in its statement.

Reliance Jio is currently in the process of creating the digital infrastructure backbone, and is expected to commercially launch its high-speed data and voice services (4G) in 2015.

"We are all acutely aware of the significance of the expansion of advanced data networks such as LTE in our country," said Reliance Jio managing director Sandip Das, in a joint statement.

Das said that they are pleased to join the COAI, and along with other operators, they hope to create an operating environment in the overall context of national development.

"We see ourselves contributing significantly by building out a nationwide high speed data network, "added Reliance Jio top executive.

"Together with Reliance Jio and our other members, we look forward to working with the government to achieve the ambitious targets enshrined in the government's agenda of creating the new ‘i-way’, smart cities and broadband for all," said Rajan S Matthews, director general, COAI.

Reliance Jio holds pan-India broadband wireless access (BWA) spectrum in 2300 MHz and acquired the unified licence from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in October 2013. The company also holds spectrum in the 1800 MHz band, across 14 out of 22 service areas in the country.

The company has also entered into agreements with various telecom companies including Reliance Communications, Bharti Infratel, American Tower Corporation, Tower Vision India, Viom Networks and Ascend Telecom for sharing of their infrastructure for rolling out 4G services.