Vodafone Idea to begin 5G rollout around Diwali
Vodafone Idea (Vi) has unveiled plans to initiate its 5G rollout in about six months, possibly around Diwali, which falls on November 1. The company's CEO, Akshaya Moondra, made this announcement during a post-Q4 conference call. "We expect to start rolling out 5G from six months from now," stated Moondra. The primary focus of the rollout will be on major cities or areas with a high concentration of devices.
Advancements in 5G technology trials
Vodafone Idea is currently conducting advanced trials for OpenRAN and vRAN technologies, as part of its 5G rollout plan. The telecom giant has already met its minimum rollout obligation in four circles and has applied for Bihar and Mumbai circles. Vodafone Idea is in discussions with several tech partners for its 5G rollout. Currently, Nokia powers Vi's 4G in nine circles and Ericsson does so in eight circles. Huawei and ZTE technology are used in seven and five circles respectively.
Prioritizing 4G coverage expansion
Vi plans to cover 40% of its revenue base with its 5G services within the next 24-30 months. The telco is also focusing on expanding its 4G coverage to match competitors and prevent subscriber churn. According per Analysys Mason, Vodafone Idea possesses approximately 180,000 4G sites, whereas Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel boast around 300,000 4G sites each. The company has plans to add more 4G capacity within the next few months for decongestion.
