Reliance Jio’s IPO is coming in the Indian stock market. The special thing is that the valuation of the company Jio Platforms is expected to reach around ₹ 10.3 lakh crore. This IPO could be one of the largest IPOs in India. Jio’s entry into the telecom industry came at a time when talking on a mobile and using the internet was considered an expensive deal. But Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio changed the image of the country’s telecom industry on the basis of free calling and cheap internet.

Bidding for the IPO can be done from October 21 to October 23. The company has set a price band of ₹1,065 to ₹1,119 per share. The IPO plans to raise around ₹30,000 crore. This is not just the story of a company’s entry into the stock market, but also the expansion of the dream of Dhirubhai Ambani, who played a major role in bringing mobile internet to the common people in the country. The question is, how big of an opportunity can Jio’s journey, which started with free calling, turn out to be for investors?

How Jio changed the picture of telecom sector

When Reliance Jio entered the telecom market in 2016, hardly anyone thought that the new company would change the entire sector so soon. Mukesh Ambani spent billions of dollars to prepare 4G network across the country. At that time the company did not even have a large number of customers. After this Jio made voice calling free and kept the cost of internet data very low. This forced other telecom companies to reduce their tariffs. Jio’s strategy was to first build a large network and then add more customers through cheaper services.

How big is Jio’s customer network?

According to the report, around $25 billion was invested in network, spectrum and technology before Jio’s launch. Mukesh Ambani in an interview called Jio as Reliance’s biggest threat. He believed that even if this investment does not yield much, it can play a big role in making India digital. Today, Jio is among the largest digital connectivity companies in the country. As of March 31, 2026, it had 26.85 crore 5G customers. At the same time, JioFiber and JioAirFiber had 2.71 crore customers, making it the largest fixed broadband service provider in the country.

₹10 lakh crore company from free calling

Jio offered free calling and data to its customers in the early days. Even after this, the company kept the price of data low. Reliance launched JioPhone in the year 2017. It was a feature phone with 4G support, available for free on a refundable security deposit of ₹1,500 under certain conditions. Its aim was to provide internet to people who could not afford expensive smartphones. Over time, Jio’s business expanded beyond mobile connectivity. The Jio platform now includes a mobile network, home broadband, digital services for companies and a variety of apps. It is to be noted that the IPO is not only of the telecom company Reliance Jio Infocomm, but of the Jio platform. It is planned to issue 27 crore new shares in this IPO. Part of the proceeds will be used to reduce the debt of the subsidiary company of the telecom business and the rest will be used for general business needs.

Jio’s Role in India’s Digital Revolution

Jio’s cheap internet service has made it easier for people to watch videos, study online, make digital payments and access government services. However, government schemes, UPI, bank accounts, smartphones and other companies have also played an important role in India’s digital revolution. Jio’s main contribution was to make internet affordable and reach more people. Dhirubhai Ambani’s dream was that phone calls should be affordable for the common man as well. Mukesh Ambani took this idea forward in the Internet age. Now Reliance is also focusing on technologies like 5G, artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced manufacturing.