Indian operator Vodafone Idea (Vi) says it is preparing to launch its commercial 5G mobile services in what is described as a phased manner from March 2025.
As for timings, CEO Akshaya Moondra has been quoted as saying, in a letter to customers: “Partnering with global leaders such as Ericsson, Nokia and Samsung, we are driving a transformative three-year investment plan. By March 2025, thousands of new sites will enhance your connectivity, elevating your network experience to extraordinary heights.”
To improve quality, coverage, and experience, Vi says it has added over 46,000 new sites, and expanded capacity at over 58,000 sites in 2024. Better indoor coverage at home, at the office, or in shopping malls is part of the improved offering.
As we reported in September 2024, last year saw three-year US$3.6 billion 4G modernisation and 5G equipment procurement deals with Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung. Also, in late December 2024, Vi promised capital expenditure of INR500 billion-550 billion (about US$5.8 billion – US$6.4 billion) over the next two to three years to expand 4G coverage and rollout of 5G in key cities.
Inevitably, it needs to be mentioned that rival operators Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel concluded their 5G network deployments nationwide in early 2024 and, according to many news outlets, had 148 million (Jio) and 105 million (Airtel) 5G-only users by the end of September 2024.
The announcement from Vi was not unexpected. Many news outlets had reported the operator’s plans for AI-powered 4G and 5G networks and aggressive pricing – up to 15% cheaper than Jio and Airtel. There had also been news in the Economic Times that the Vi plans to target 75 major cities across 17 priority circles with 5G, focusing on high-demand urban and industrial areas.
However, as a number of outlets have also reminded their readers, success will depend on Vi’s ability to offer competitive pricing without compromising profitability.
