Ambani pushes for 2G-free India, asks govt to take steps for making India truly digital

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 31 : Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani on Friday again pushed for a 2G-free India and called upon the government to take steps so that benefits of digital revolution can reach the largest number of mobile users.
"Mobility has become affordable and democratic, it ceased to be a rich man's monopoly long ago. Indeed, no other technological tool in human history has erased the rich-poor divide the way mobile telephony has," he said while virtually addressing a celebration of 25 years of Mobility: Desh ki Digital Udaan organised by the Department of Telecommunications and the Cellular Operators Association of India.
Ambani said people are now accessing and exchanging knowledge on their phones. "They are receiving news, watching and making videos, buying and selling goods and services, making payments, working and studying from home and participating in virtual meetings like the one we are having now."
The ongoing COVID-19 lockdown has provided the best examples of how mobile phones are empowering people, he said. They have kept the nation connected and they have kept the wheels of the economy running.
"What all this goes to show is how digital mobility is realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of improving the ease of living for common Indians," Ambani said.
However, this is also an occasion to look at the obstacles that have prevented Indian consumers and Indian society from fully benefiting from the digital revolution.
"Here I specifically referred to the fact that India still has 300 million mobile subscribers trapped in the 2G era. Their feature phones keep them excluded even from basic uses of internet at a time where both India and the rest of the world are standing at the doorsteps of 5G telephony. I think necessary policy steps should be taken with utmost urgency to make 2G a part of history."
This was not the first time that Ambani has talked about the need of making India 2G-free.
Ambani said Jio is now rolling out Reliance's vision of digital platforms and partnerships, which will provide the most advanced technological tools of empowerment to millions of our farmers, small merchants, consumers, small and medium enterprises, students, teachers, healthcare workers and innovators.
"This will also create new and attractive employment and livelihood opportunities for our talented youth," he said.