Exclusive-Ambani's Jio explores tech-for-equity talks with Comcast and Charter, sources say

· CNA · Join
FILE PHOTO: Mukesh Ambani greets investors before the listing ceremony of Jio Platforms Ltd in Mumbai, India, October 28, 2026. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File Photo
National Stock Exchange of India CEO Ashishkumar Chauhan, Chairman of Piramal Finance Anand Piramal, Nita Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries Mukesh Ambani, Isha Ambani, non-executive director at Jio Platforms Ltd, Managing Director of Jio Platforms Limited Akash Ambani, Anant Ambani, non-executive director at Jio Platforms Ltd, Shloka Mehta Ambani and Kokilaben Ambani attend a bell-ringing ceremony on the day of the listing of Jio Platforms Limited during its IPO at the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) in Mumbai, India, October 28, 2026. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
FILE PHOTO: The Comcast logo appears in this illustration taken August 18, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Read a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST

LONDON/NEW DELHI, Nov 3 : Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Jio Platforms has held talks with several companies including Comcast and Charter Communications about licensing its wireless broadband technology in exchange for potential stakes in the businesses, two people familiar with the matter said.

Jio also held discussions with South Africa's MTN Group, but the talks broke down because the two sides were unable to agree on valuation and certain licensing issues, the people said.

The people said there was no timetable for reaching a deal with any of the parties that Jio has spoken to. 

Jio, which listed in Mumbai last week after a record-breaking $3.2 billion IPO, did not respond to Reuters queries.

CNA Games

Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time

Buzzword
Create words using the given letters

Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser

Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge

Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
 Show More
Show Less

Spokespeople for Comcast and Charter declined to comment.

Controlled by Ambani's Reliance Industries, Jio has for months signaled plans to expand internationally with its proprietary broadband technology, which Reliance calls a “global first”.

The system runs on free, unlicensed Wi-Fi frequencies, making it cheaper to deliver internet to homes than traditional cable networks or mobile-based services.

Jio said last week it was targeting 10 to 15 partners globally for its technology platform that works on so-called unlicensed band radio. It works without cable connections to homes, using transmitters mounted on nearby towers or rooftops to beam high-speed internet over Wi-Fi frequencies to receivers installed on buildings.

MTN could not persuade Jio to invest at a satisfactory valuation, said one of the people. The financial details of the potential partnership were not immediately clear.

MTN said it does not comment on market speculation.

Source: Reuters

Newsletter

Week in Review

Subscribe to our Chief Editor’s Week in Review

Our chief editor shares analysis and picks of the week's biggest news every Saturday.

Sign up for our newsletters

Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox

Subscribe here

Get the CNA app

Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories

Download here

Get WhatsApp alerts

Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app

Join here