Reliance Jio’s UBR-based fixed wireless service reached 5.13 million customers in July, supporting broadband expansion beyond fibre-connected areas.
Reliance Jio has crossed an important milestone in its fixed wireless broadband business, with the Jio UBR customer base reaching 5.13 million at the end of July 2026. The latest figure highlights the growing role of Unlicensed Band Radio (UBR) technology in Jio’s broadband expansion strategy.
According to TRAI data, Jio’s UBR base increased from 4.93 million in June to 5.13 million in July. The operator has therefore added around 200,000 UBR connections in a single month, continuing the growth seen during the first seven months of 2026.
Jio UBR Customer Base Reaches 5.13 Million
The Jio UBR customer base stood at approximately 3.9 million at the end of January 2026. By July, the figure had climbed to 5.13 million, meaning Jio added more than 1.2 million UBR customers during the first seven months of the year.
The latest increase also shows that Jio is continuing to add fixed wireless customers even as its broader broadband business expands. UBR gives the operator another method of connecting homes where deploying traditional fibre infrastructure may be difficult or less economical.
What Is Jio UBR?
UBR stands for Unlicensed Band Radio, a wireless technology that Jio uses as part of its fixed wireless access strategy. The technology can help deliver broadband connectivity to homes without requiring a direct fibre connection to every customer location.
Jio’s FWA business essentially operates through two technology approaches. One uses 5G-based FWA equipment on Jio’s standalone 5G network, while the other uses UBR technology to connect customers in locations where wireless deployment can provide a practical alternative to fibre.
UBR Helps Jio Expand Beyond Fibre
Building a fibre network requires extensive civil infrastructure, including fibre routes, ducts and last-mile connections. While fibre offers high capacity, deploying it to every potential customer can become challenging in certain locations.
This is where the Jio UBR customer base becomes important to the operator’s broadband expansion strategy. Wireless access can potentially reduce the physical infrastructure required for the final connection and allow Jio to reach additional homes more quickly.
The approach can be particularly useful in areas where laying fibre involves higher deployment costs or logistical challenges. Jio can use wireless infrastructure to extend broadband availability without waiting for a complete fibre rollout.
Jio UBR Growth Supports AirFiber Strategy
Jio markets its fixed wireless broadband services under the AirFiber proposition. The company’s broader AirFiber subscriber base has grown rapidly as consumers look for alternatives to traditional wired broadband.
UBR is an important component of that growth because it allows Jio to use a different connectivity architecture for certain customers. The operator can therefore choose between fibre and wireless technologies depending on network availability and local deployment conditions.
This flexibility can help Jio expand its fixed broadband footprint across a wider range of locations.
Jio Adds More Than One Million UBR Users in 2026
The growth in the Jio UBR customer base has been particularly notable since the beginning of the year. TRAI data showed that Jio had around 3.9 million UBR connections in January, compared with 5.13 million in July.
That represents growth of more than 30% in roughly six months. The increase indicates that UBR is no longer a small component of Jio’s fixed wireless strategy and is becoming a significant part of the operator’s broadband expansion.
The monthly additions have also remained positive, suggesting continued demand for wireless home broadband.
Jio’s Broader FWA Business Continues to Grow
The UBR milestone needs to be viewed alongside Jio’s overall FWA expansion. Jio has been one of India’s most aggressive operators in deploying fixed wireless broadband, with AirFiber helping it reach customers beyond conventional fibre broadband coverage.
Earlier TRAI data showed Jio’s UBR base at 4.29 million in March 2026, while its 5G FWA base stood at more than 8.58 million during the same month.
The combined FWA approach gives Jio multiple ways to serve the growing home broadband market. It also allows the operator to target locations where fibre deployment and wireless connectivity have different economic or technical advantages.
Why UBR Matters for India’s Broadband Market
India’s broadband market is becoming increasingly diverse. Fibre remains an important technology for high-capacity fixed connectivity, but wireless broadband is emerging as a practical alternative for homes that are difficult or expensive to connect through physical infrastructure.
The growth of the Jio UBR customer base demonstrates how telecom operators can use different technologies to address India’s highly varied geography. Dense urban areas, suburban locations and less-developed broadband markets can have very different deployment requirements.
For customers, increased competition between fibre and wireless broadband can also result in greater availability of high-speed internet services.
Jio Could Use UBR to Accelerate Coverage
The biggest strategic advantage of UBR is the potential to accelerate the expansion of Jio’s fixed broadband network. Instead of waiting for fibre to reach every neighbourhood, the operator can use wireless infrastructure where appropriate.
This does not mean UBR will replace fibre. Fibre remains critical for high-capacity network backhaul and for locations where a wired connection makes commercial and technical sense.
Instead, Jio can use a combination of technologies to optimise its deployment strategy and reach more homes.
Jio UBR Becomes a Key Broadband Growth Engine
Crossing the 5 million mark makes the Jio UBR customer base an increasingly important part of Reliance Jio’s fixed broadband business. Reaching 5.13 million users in July shows that demand for UBR-based connectivity continues to build.
As Jio expands its AirFiber footprint and combines 5G FWA with UBR, the operator has more tools to address India’s broadband demand. The strategy could be particularly important in areas where traditional fibre deployment remains challenging.
The July milestone therefore highlights a broader shift in India’s home broadband market, where wireless technologies are increasingly being used alongside fibre to connect more customers.
