Vodafone Idea (Vi) has announced the next phase of its 5G rollout, expanding coverage to 23 additional cities. The latest cities to be brought under the Vi 5G network include Ahmedabad, Agra, Aurangabad, Kozhikode, Cochin, Dehradun, Indore, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Madurai, Malappuram, Meerut, Nagpur, Nashik, Pune, Rajkot, Sonepat, Surat, Siliguri, Trivandrum, Vadodara, and Vizag. This expansion follows earlier 5G deployments in Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, and Patna, Vi announced in an exchange filing on Monday, June 30, 2025.
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Phased 5G Expansion
The ongoing rollout is part of Vi's strategy to deploy 5G across its 17 priority telecom circles, where it holds 5G spectrum. The expansion will be implemented in a phased manner. Users with 5G-enabled smartphones in these cities will be able to access Vi's 5G services as they go live. As part of an introductory offer, Vi said it is providing unlimited 5G data on plans starting at Rs 299.
"Vi's 5G launch has shown strong momentum. In areas where Vi 5G is live over 70 percent of eligible users have already experienced the benefits of Vi's next-gen network; a clear indicator of positive reception and growing demand," the telco said.
AI-Powered Network Optimisation
Vi is leveraging AI-powered Self-Organising Network (SON) technology to optimise network performance and energy efficiency. The company has partnered with telecom equipment providers Nokia, Ericsson, and Samsung to enable integration of its 4G and 5G infrastructure. "This collaboration enables seamless integration of Vi's advanced 4G and 5G infrastructure, reinforcing its focus on sustainability," Vi said.
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Ongoing 4G Upgrades
In parallel with its 5G rollout, Vi is undertaking upgrades to its 4G network to ensure a consistent user experience. Since April last year, Vodafone Idea said it has deployed 4G on the 900 MHz band at approximately 65,000 sites, significantly enhancing coverage and indoor connectivity. Additionally, over 56,000 new sites have been added across the 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, and TDD bands, resulting in a 35 percent increase in 4G data capacity and a 26 percent improvement in speeds.
Network Expansion Campaign
Vi's 4G population coverage has risen from 77 percent in March 2024 to 84 percent, connecting an additional 88 million people. "Alongside the 5G rollout, Vi has undertaken large-scale network enhancements to elevate customer experience, a commitment reflected in its recent brand campaign- 1 lakh new towers in six months, which underscores the speed and scale of its ongoing network enhancements," the official release said.
Commenting on the development, Jagbir Singh, Chief Technology Officer at Vi, said, "Our 5G rollout is progressing steadily in a phased manner, and we're excited to bring next-gen connectivity to more users. At the same time, we're strengthening our 4G network to ensure a seamless experience for our users. With enhanced indoor coverage, increased capacity, and 84 percent population coverage with its 4G network, we remain focused on delivering superior digital experiences to Vi users."
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