Reliance Jio Dominates Global Mobile Data Traffic with 24% YoY Growth

Reliance Jio led the global mobile data traffic for the third straight quarter, with a 24% YoY increase, far outpacing China Mobile's 2% rise. The telecom giant has taken advantage of 5G technology, boasting the largest user base outside China, bolstered by extensive 5G service expansion.

Reliance Jio has emerged as the frontrunner in global mobile data traffic for a third consecutive quarter, demonstrating exceptional year-on-year growth, as reported by Tefficient on Wednesday.

While China Mobile posted a modest 2% YoY increase, Jio surged with a 24% growth rate, significantly outpacing other competitors. The data highlights that a substantial slowdown in China Mobile's data traffic growth in 2024 has allowed Jio to become the world's largest mobile data carrier.

The rise underscores the transformative impact of 5G technology as a growth catalyst in emerging markets such as India, according to Tefficient. Jio and India's Airtel have effectively leveraged 5G deployment to enhance data consumption among users, while the impact in China remains less apparent.

In the second quarter of the fiscal year 2025, Jio reported that around 148 million subscribers, representing 34% of its wireless data traffic, had transitioned to its 5G network. This shows a consistent increase from prior quarters, marking the rapid adoption of 5G services. This substantial subscriber base makes Jio the largest 5G user community among telecom operators outside China.

In the same quarter, Jio's total data traffic reached around 45 exabytes, driven by a higher mix of 5G and home users. Tefficient noted that the company's aggressive 5G rollout continues to solidify its market dominance, with over 2.8 million AirFiber connections marking its status as the fastest-growing fixed wireless operator globally.

The swift subscriber migration to 5G and the expansive 5G infrastructure have been pivotal in Jio's growth strategy. As 5G technology becomes more prevalent, Jio's focus on bolstering network infrastructure and expanding its user base positions the company for sustained leadership in global mobile data traffic.

(With inputs from agencies.)