Reliance Jio rolled out its services in India to much fanfare last month, with the carrier offering its services for free to anyone signing up until the end of the year. As part of its Welcome Offer, Jio is giving away 4GB of free 4G data per day, as well as unlimited voice calls until December 31, 2016. Users will be charged for data from January 1, 2017, but voice calls will continue to be free on the carrier.
Considering the SIM cards are being given away for free and there's no initial investment needed from customers to get started with Jio, it is unsurprising to hear that the carrier has amassed 16 million subscribers in just 26 days.
In a press release, Jio claimed that it set a new world by amassing 16 million users "faster than any other telecom operator or start up in the world including the likes of Facebook, WhatsApp and Skype." Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani also chimed in:
We are delighted and humbled by the overwhelming response across India to the Jio Welcome Offer. Jio is built to empower every Indian with the power of data. We are delighted that people have recognized this and are utilising our services to the fullest. We are customer-obsessed and committed to improve every day to exceed expectations of our customers.
Jio is India's first 4G-only carrier, with Reliance pouring over $20 billion in infrastructure and spectrum license. The carrier is handing out free SIM cards at Reliance Digital stores across the country, and has installed eKYC machines in over 3,100 cities and towns to make it easier to register for the service with an Aadhaar card.
