Google Invests in Jio Platforms to Make Affordable 4G & 5G Phones

For Google, India is a great market for the company. Since 2015, when India born Sunchar Pichai became the CEO of Alphabet Inc, the holding company of  Google product family the company introduced several products/projects for India. Most important was Google backed WiFi hotspots in rail stations of the country under Google Station branding. Recently Google left the project as 4G based internet goes mainstream.

However Google has did its biggest move in India as the company is going to invest Rs 33,737 crore in Mukesh Ambani owned Reliance Industries' telecom and digital arm Jio Platforms announced during latest AGM meet of RIL. The investment translates into 7.7% stake sale of Jio Platforms to Google. The strategic investment by Google would be directed to making affordable, entry level 4G (and in future 5G) Android smartphones to support device ecosystem for Jio's indigenous 5G technology. 

The Google-Jio handsake is win-win for all - both companies, consumers and Indian government. It can usher 'Make in India' initiative of Govt of India. Reliance can create stronger ecosystem for its own digital platform and as 5G goes mainstream with cheap devices entry barrier will be demolished, Google backed Android ecosystem will be stronger. 

Intel and Qualcomm Infuse Strategic Investments in Jio

In the midst of pandemic, lockdown, and financial teardown, India's richest man, Mukesh Ambani owned Jio Platforms, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries becomes top tech company to invest. After the announcement of Facebook's investment in Jio in end of April '20, six American PE investors (SilverLake, Vista, General Atlantic, KKR, TPG and L Catterton), and three companies of Saudi Arabia and UAE would invest in Jio Platforms til middle of June '20.

Around a week back, on June 24th, Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved Facebook’s proposed investment in Jio Platforms via its newly formed subsidiary Jaadhu Holdings LLC.

Airtel is Raising Funds from Overseas, May Bid for OneWeb, Tower Co, Meger Delayed

For last few posts by me here are all regarding Jio and its fundraising. Let get back to Jio's most commendable competitor - yes, that's Airtel. The rivalry on telecom turf between Mukesh Ambani and Sunil Mittal is pretty old. And Ambani's comeback to Indian telecom was a supercharged show. But Airtel is not just sitting idle, and they are fighting back - ARPU is growing, and stock market value is increasing. But incumbents Airtel and Vodafone Idea both are now stuck by huge AGR dues as directed by Supreme Court. 

I will share all latest development in Airtel in this post. 

After Jio started its stake sale, there was market rumor that Google may invest in Vodafone Idea, while Amazon may invest in Airtel. However none came true so far. 

List of Pice Hotels of Kolkata

This post was initially just a list of some of the popular pice hotels of the city, collected over facebook or internet search. Later I have understood that there are several ones, many without a name or signboard across the city and suburbs catering hundreds of people with better Bengali lunches! 

The list is neither exclusive nor exhaustive. 

The Pice Hotels are a part of culture in Kolkata, which is pretty old. During the British era, many people worked at Kolkata, the-then capital of British ruled India and they were coming from far away places. They were staying at the messes across the city and to serve them food at a minimal cost the pice hotels started off. The name 'Pice' originated from what or how - it's still controversial. Many says as 1 paisa converted into Pice. Many says Pice means you have to pay for every piece of food i.e. from the glass to the plate. 

Is Jio Really Free from Any Chinese Components?

I would like to point out regarding Jio's stand on not using Chinese components. In February RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani told to US Prez D. Trump that Jio is the only operator in the world, which do not use a single Chinese component. Trump is found to be happy, and American companies invested in Jio heavily. 

What I want to say, Jio's core technology providers are not Chinese, but end-user devices like JioFi devices are coming from China. Jio is also probably using the SIM cards imported from China. 

Jio rolled out LTE with equipments solely from Samsung, which is a South Korean company. Inside their WiFi services, there is Rukus Wireless, Cisco and Mojos Network. 

Jio's WiFi Networks being Powered by Mojo

Jio since its begining is pushing its WiFi offering - the JioNet. Jio's public WiFi helps them to offload LTE data, and clutter off the network, also helps to serve into offices, educational institutes i.e. enterprise segment. 

Interestingly Jio expressed that the company is considering WiFi not as simple as an additional services (as during 2G period), rather it is a partner technology with Jio's pure play LTE based mobility strategy. Jio is now nearly having 2,00,000 hotspots running across the country. Jio and other Indian carriers have already launched Voice over LTE and VoWiFi technology - so offloading voice over WiFi is also in their strategy to overcome mobile signal coverage issues. WiFi calling is quite successful as Airtel and Jio saw the market response. However limited handsets support VoWiFi as of now. 


Also offering WiFi means better utilization of Jio's existing Fiber network. 

Reliance Jio Goes Debt-free, Plans to Bring Made-in-India 5G Solutions

Jio's stake sale is over, as the view expressed by investment firm JP Morgan. Starting from April 21st, Jio Platforms Ltd (JPL), the telecom and digital arm of Reliance Industries, owned by richest Indian Mukesh Ambani has started its stake sale. Ambani has set a target to make Reliance net debt free by March 31, 2021, and he achieved that target much before - 3 quarter early. Therefore it is expected that Jio, who already sold nearly one fourth of the company to foreign investors, will not go further. 

A tweet from Reliance Jio also hints to that, as the table summerizes all fund received into Jio. (table below)

Just like NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) made rockets, India's JPL or simply Jio has shown its growth like a rocket. It began from a scratch and developed as a greenfield pure 4G operator, backed by several app based ecosystem.