Vi to Launch 5G by March 2025 in Delhi, Mumbai; Aims 90% 4G Coverage Across India with Fresh Equity Boost

Vodafone Idea (Vi) is set to begin launching 5G services by March next year, starting with Delhi and Mumbai, and expanding to 17 regions across the country.

Boosted by Equity Funding

Vi recently secured ₹24,000 crore in equity funding, including ₹18,000 crore from a follow-on public offer. This funding will primarily be used to enhance its 4G coverage and introduce 5G services to compete with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel.

Jagbir Singh, the company’s Chief Technology Officer, announced that Vi plans to increase its 4G coverage from the current 77% to at least 90% of India’s population by June next year.

Focus on Major Cities for 5G Rollout

Vi is starting its 5G launch in key metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai, with plans to cover all major cities in its 17 licensed regions.

A key focus for Vi is improving its 900 MHz band coverage. The company is increasing the number of 900 MHz sites from 55,000 to 150,000 to provide better network quality, especially indoors. Vi is working with tower companies such as Indus Towers and ATC, which have accepted its network requirements until March. Tower installations are set to begin in November, with no expected challenges in execution.

Phasing Out Chinese Vendors

Vi will not renew its contracts with Chinese vendors and has plans to replace this equipment over time. However, it doesn’t have immediate plans to completely replace Chinese equipment within the next two years.

Vi has faced issues with its openRAN deployment. Despite working with US-based Mavenir on 25 sites in Jalandhar, the technology has not yet matured, and it’s currently more expensive than traditional RAN. Vi sees limited demand for private 5G networks in India, having conducted a few trials but finding no strong business case for large-scale enterprise deployments.

Exploring AI for Network Optimisation

Vi is engaging with IBM, Accenture, Microsoft, and Google to explore the use of AI for network planning, automation, and service quality improvements. Vi views satellite communication as a complement to traditional networks, particularly for reaching rural and disaster-prone areas.

Following a debt-to-equity conversion in February 2023, the Indian government now holds a 33.5% stake in Vi, making it the largest shareholder.