India’s Reliance Industries is to build a network of 1000 stores, the consumer face of a new 4G mobile phone network.

The new mobile phone network will be launched in December with 1000 stores branded ‘Jio Centers’. The network itself will be called Jio.

The store network will sell Jio-branded mobile phones and be backed up by 500,000 licenced connectivity outlets and one million recharge outlets. These customer contact points will be operational by December, when the network – undergoing beta testing from next month – will boast 80 per cent coverage of India.

The stores will also sell Samsung, Apple, Huawei and Xiaomi phones for connection to its network.

“Reliance Digital would be a catalyst by making available entry level to ultra premium 4G LTE smartphones… in driving the device ecosystem in India for Jio,” the company said in a statement.

Reliance Industries operates in a number of sectors, although its base is in energy and retailing. It is headed by Mukesh Ambani, India’s richest individual.