The addition of new 5G base stations (BTS) slightly increased in the month of March 2025, possibly driven by the 5G rollouts of Vodafone Idea, which launched 5G services in Mumbai and 11 cricket stadiums. Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio are done with large-scale 5G deployments and may be focusing on indoor coverage or specific locations of importance to enhance customer experience. While Airtel has reiterated that its 5G rollouts are ongoing as per the plan, Indus Towers previously said the company is seeing a focus on In-Building Solution (IBS) deployments.
Also Read: 5G BTS Deployment in India Slows; Vodafone Idea and BSNL Readying 5G Launch
Sl. No | State/UT | BTS as on | |||
| 28 Feb 2025 | 31 Mar 2025 | BTS Additions in Mar 2025 | Vi 5G Rollout Circles | ||
| 1 | Andaman & Nicobar | 131 | 132 | 1 | |
| 2 | Andhra Pradesh | 19036 | 19205 | 169 | |
| 3 | Arunachal Pradesh | 635 | 654 | 19 | |
| 4 | Assam | 9291 | 9409 | 118 | |
| 5 | Bihar | 23822 | 24289 | 467 | Upcoming |
| 6 | Chandigarh (UT) | 758 | 761 | 3 | Upcoming |
| 7 | Chhattisgarh | 6644 | 6683 | 39 | |
| 8 | UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | 415 | 418 | 3 | |
| 9 | Delhi | 12097 | 12334 | 237 | Upcoming |
| 10 | Goa | 991 | 991 | 0 | |
| 10 | Gujarat | 32181 | 32413 | 232 | |
| 12 | Haryana | 17202 | 17440 | 238 | |
| 13 | Himachal Pradesh | 4312 | 4330 | 18 | |
| 14 | Jammu & Kashmir (UT) | 7216 | 7248 | 32 | |
| 15 | Jharkhand | 9747 | 9813 | 66 | |
| 16 | Karnataka | 31335 | 31454 | 119 | Upcoming |
| 17 | Kerala | 19780 | 19941 | 161 | |
| 18 | Laddakh | 253 | 253 | 0 | |
| Lakshadweep (UT) | 4 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 19 | Madhya Pradesh | 19931 | 20073 | 142 | |
| 20 | Maharashtra | 48247 | 48988 | 741 | Live in Mumbai. |
| 21 | Manipur | 1212 | 1234 | 22 | |
| 22 | Meghalaya | 791 | 806 | 15 | |
| 23 | Mizoram | 476 | 478 | 2 | |
| 24 | Nagaland | 774 | 781 | 7 | |
| 25 | Odisha | 12812 | 12939 | 127 | |
| 26 | Puducherry (UT) | 608 | 616 | 8 | |
| 27 | Punjab | 16668 | 16730 | 62 | Upcoming |
| 28 | Rajasthan | 27910 | 28056 | 146 | |
| 29 | Sikkim | 338 | 340 | 2 | |
| 30 | Tamil Nadu | 35655 | 35853 | 198 | |
| 31 | Telangana | 17863 | 18066 | 203 | |
| 32 | Tripura | 1317 | 1331 | 14 | |
| 33 | Uttar Pradesh | 52820 | 53391 | 571 | |
| 34 | Uttarakhand | 5758 | 5781 | 23 | |
| 35 | West Bengal | 30762 | 30999 | 237 | |
| Grand Total | 469792 | 474234 | |||
| 5G BTS Monthly Addition | 2172 | 4442 | |||
India 5G BTS by DoT
According to the Department of Telecommunications, the total number of deployed 5G BTS stands at 4,74,234 as of the end of March 2025, up from 4,69,792 as of the end of February 2025. This implies a total of 4,442 5G BTS were deployed in March 2025. February saw the addition of 2,172 5G BTS. The 4,442 BTS cannot be entirely attributed to Vodafone Idea alone, as other telcos, including Airtel, are continuing their planned rollouts.
Also Read: Vodafone Idea Claims 5G Is Used by 70 Percent of Eligible Users in Mumbai
Vodafone Idea 5G and Capex
Vodafone Idea, in its investor presentation, said it has focused capex to improve competitiveness in 17 priority circles with improved 4G coverage and the rollout of 5G. The company has a capex plan of Rs 50,000–55,000 crores over the next three years. Finnish telecom equipment vendor Nokia recently announced that it has completed the delivery of 5G equipment to Vodafone Idea.
Vi 5G - Upcoming Regions
Bihar, Delhi, Bangalore, Chandigarh, and Patna are among the regions in which Vi had planned a 5G rollout in April 2025. State-owned telecom operator BSNL too is deploying BTS which can be upgraded to 5G at the flip of a button and has the capability to deliver a 4G/5G network.
Also Read: Airtel, Jio, and Vodafone Idea Entry-Level Unlimited 5G Prepaid Plans Detailed: April 2025 Edition
Conclusion
As of April, Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea (Mumbai) are offering complimentary unlimited 5G services on select 4G plans. BSNL too is expected to launch 5G services in June 2025, as per earlier reports.
How is your experience on the 5G network, and what is the special service that you were able to enjoy on 5G that you couldn't on 4G? Come, join the discussion at TelecomTalk's WhatsApp Group and share your experiences. Link here
