Reliance Jio has completed 5G network deployment across 600 of India's 766 districts, reaching approximately 450 million subscribers in tier-2 cities, small towns, and rural areas — a milestone that positions India as the world's fastest large-economy 5G rollout in terms of geographic reach.

The expansion has concentrated on district headquarters and their surrounding agricultural belt, areas where Jio has deployed its proprietary standalone 5G architecture rather than the non-standalone overlay used in major cities. The distinction matters: standalone 5G enables low-latency applications relevant to smart agriculture, telemedicine, and precision irrigation that non-standalone networks cannot reliably support.

Revenue per user from 5G subscribers is 23 per cent higher than 4G users, primarily driven by higher data consumption and premium plan uptake. Jio chairman Akash Ambani said the company expects 5G to contribute over 40 per cent of revenues by FY28.

The remaining 166 districts, predominantly in Jammu and Kashmir, the Northeast, and remote tribal areas, will be served through a combination of satellite backhaul and terrestrial 5G expansion targeted for completion before March 2027.