Nokia, as part of its recent equipment deal with Vodafone Idea (Vi), is rapidly expanding Vi's network in circles with the latest baseband and radio modules. On Wednesday, Nokia announced that it will deploy nearly 3,300 new sites by March 2025 to expand Vi's 4G network in key circles.
Also Read: Vodafone Idea Launches 4G Network in Lakshadweep
Key Upgrades and Spectrum Expansions
Additionally, Nokia said upgrades to over 42,000 technology sites, and more than 25,000 spectrum expansions across Vi's network will boost bandwidth and data capacity. So far, 100 percent of the spectrum bandwidth expansion, nearly 40 percent of the technology additions, and 15 percent of new sites are already completed.
Ultra-Lean Sites for Hotspot Coverage
Nokia is also deploying ultra-lean sites for Vi to address hot spot coverage requirements and enhance user experience in specific locations as per market demand. Nokia believes that Vodafone Idea will continue to focus on coverage and capacity expansions in 2025, increasing data capacities and extending coverage deeper into rural and unconnected areas.
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Jagbir Singh, CTO of Vodafone Idea, said, "We are working closely with Nokia to expand our 4G network coverage to 20 million addition population by March 2025. This will also enhance 4G network capacity by 25 percent, enabling us to offer superior customer experience in nine circles out of our 17 priority circles."
Tarun Chhabra, Senior Vice President and Country Head of Nokia (India) said, "As a long-standing strategic partner of Vi, we are proud to support their LTE network expansion and modernisation across Nokia supplied circles. This upgrade will enhance mobile experiences for millions of Vi customers while laying the foundation for a seamless transition to 5G technology."
Also Read: Vodafone Idea to Launch 5G in 17 Circles by March 2025: Report
Vodafone Idea's 4G and 5G Expansion
In October, Vi finalised contracts worth USD 3.6 billion (around Rs 30,000 crore) for 4G modernisation and 5G deployment with Nokia, Ericsson from Sweden, and South Korea's Samsung, covering a three-year period. The capex programme is aimed at expanding the 4G population coverage from 1.03 billion to 1.2 billion, launching 5G in key markets and capacity expansion in line with data growth.
Vi aims to strengthen its 4G operations and launch 5G networks in key cities across its 17 priority circles by March 2025. Vi recently announced the launch of its 4G network in Lakshadweep.
