iWorld
Jio shifts gears as 5G, homes and AI deals drive quarter momentum
MUMBAI: If numbers could talk, they would probably say this, scale only matters when it moves fast. That was the clear subtext of the update shared by Anshuman Thakur, head of strategy at Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, during the earnings call following the company’s unaudited results for the quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2025.
Speaking on the transcripted call, Thakur traced Jio’s performance back to a long-standing strategy rooted in building proprietary, India-first technologies that work at global scale. That approach, he noted, is now fully embedded across Jio’s 4G and 5G core networks, fixed wireless access solutions and connected home platforms, all developed in-house to suit Indian price points and usage patterns.
Jio closed the quarter with over 515 million subscribers, adding 8.9 million net users, while its 5G base crossed 253 million. The shift to next-generation networks gathered pace, with 53 per cent of total data traffic now on 5G, easing pressure on 4G and improving overall service quality. Total data consumption crossed 60 billion GB, with per capita usage jumping from 32.3 GB to 40.7 GB, underlining how faster networks are reshaping consumer behaviour.
The company’s home broadband push also gathered momentum. Jio added more than one million homes every month for seven consecutive months, taking total fixed broadband connections past 25 million, including 11.5 million JioAirFiber homes. Wireless last-mile connections now dominate new additions, helping Jio gain over 800 basis points of market share in home broadband over the past year, with 70 per cent of incremental industry additions coming through its network.
Financially, the momentum translated into solid gains. Operating revenues for the quarter crossed Rs.37,000 crore, while EBITDA rose 16.5 per cent year-on-year to Rs.18,408 crore, delivering a margin of 56.2 per cent at the operating level. Consolidated revenues for Jio Platforms stood at Rs.37,262 crore, up 12.7 per cent, with profit after tax at Rs.7,629 crore. ARPU improved organically to Rs.213.7, driven by customer mix and value-added services rather than tariff hikes.
Beyond connectivity, partnerships and platforms added a fresh layer to the story. Offerings such as JioHotstar and the rollout of Google Gemini Pro to unlimited 5G users have boosted engagement while deepening Jio’s understanding of consumer behaviour. With proprietary networks, expanding enterprise services and a growing digital ecosystem, Jio appears to be turning technological self-reliance into a sustained competitive edge, one quarter at a time.
iWorld
Samay Raina returns with Still Alive, confronts 2025 controversy in bold comeback special
Comeback set tackles controversy, blending humour with raw storytelling
MUMBAI: Samay Raina is set to release his new stand-up comedy special, Still Alive, on YouTube on April 7, 2026, marking a high-profile return following a turbulent year.
The trailer for the special dropped on April 5, offering a glimpse into what Raina describes as a raw and unfiltered set that leans as much on honesty as it does on humour.
Positioned as a comeback of sorts, Still Alive draws heavily from the controversy surrounding his show India’s Got Latent in early 2025. The episode led to legal trouble, multiple FIRs, and a lengthy six-hour interrogation by the Maharashtra Cyber Cell, placing the comedian at the centre of intense public scrutiny.
Rather than sidestep the episode, Raina leans into it. The special reflects on the fallout and his personal journey through it, blending observational comedy with moments of emotional candour. Early audience feedback from live performances suggests the tone is less about rapid-fire punchlines and more about storytelling with bite.
The special was filmed during his global Still Alive & Unfiltered tour, which ran from August 2025 to early 2026. The tour saw Raina perform across major international venues, including the Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York, a milestone that places him among the youngest Indian comedians to take that stage.
The title itself signals resilience. “Still Alive” is a nod to navigating both legal and public backlash while choosing to remain unapologetically authentic, a theme that appears to anchor the set.
With the special set to premiere online, all eyes are now on how audiences respond to a performance that promises equal parts reflection and wit. For Raina, the message is clear. He is not just back, he is ready to be heard on his own terms.
