India's Reliance Jio Infocomm plans to support its upcoming 4G operations with a direct retail presence in over 1,000 stores.
Parent company Reliance Jio has revealed an intention to establish a direct physical presence in over 1,000 stores it will name “Jio Centers”, Reutersreported.
The retail operations will sell own-branded 4G devices as well as products from global smartphone brands including Apple, Samsung, Huawei and Xiaomi.
Through its retail presence, Reliance Jio aims to offer everything from entry level smartphones sold in packages as low as $30, up to ultra-premium 4G smartphones.
Reliance Jio finally plans to launch its network in December more than five years after securing a pan-India 4G license. But the company plans to make its launch worth the wait – it is aiming to achieve a population coverage of nearly 80% at launch, rising to 100% within three years.
Rival operators fear that Reliance Jio's entry into the market could trigger a new damaging price war over voice services.
The operator plans to make its money from mobile data, and is expected to offer voice services at low-cost or even free as a value add. Coupled with owner Mukesh Ambani's deep pockets, the operator's entry could prove very disruptive to a market already struggling with minuscule prevailing voice rates.