Reliance JIO- DICE STARTEGY

Can a firm's strategy alter an industry's structure? By September 2018, within two years of
launch, Reliance Jio became the third-largest mobile network operator with its DICE strategy.
On September 5th 2016, Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (RJIL), launched its 4G mobile network
Jio (Jio) to a thunderous response from the consumers, so much so that, it registered 215
million subscribers within 22 months of its launch - recording the fastest growth in its customer
numbers in the country. It offered mobile voice and SMS services to its customers free of cost,
and 4G data with unprecedented speed at lowest-ever prices. While it created 'volume-led
value' for its shareholders, it offered a compelling customer value proposition with an
unprecedented bundling of VAS at very low prices. The nine-month marathon of freebies and
ultra-low tariffs attracted the data-hungry Indian customers to flock towards Jio's services. Its
'carpet bombing strategy' disrupted the Indian Telecom Industry with its Devices, Industry,
Consumer Behavior and Ecosystem (DICE) strategy and altered the economics of all
the incumbents and force-led them to have a relook at their strategies. While few companies
consolidated to form stronger entities to match up to Jio's forces, a few made an exit from the
Indian telecom industry/mobile services unable to sustain losses. While RJIL had been a
disrupting force in the telecom industry, it currently stares at few challenges - decreasing
network speeds, competition and resistance from other operators, technical glitches in its apps
and fickle brand loyalty of customers - that could rob off its competitive advantage (if any) and
hinder its future growth. Would its 'DICE' strategy give RJIL a competitive advantage? Did Jio
manage to acquire a competitive advantage? Can RJIL sustain the competitive advantage, if
any, for a long-term?