Ahead of the full-fledged launch of its 5G network, Vodafone Idea (Vi) has started a trial run. The telecom giant plans to join Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel in the race to expand 5G coverage starting next month.
Vodafone Idea (Vi), in a statement to MoneyControl, said that Vi 5G is in its trial phase in Mumbai, and a select group of consumers will experience high-speed connectivity.
According to the report, select users will experience unlimited 5G data free of cost. Users who receive an SMS from Vi Care or see a 5G signal may be eligible for the 5G services.
The MoneyControl report further notes that to participate in the 5G trial, customers will require a 5G-enabled handset and a 5G-ready SIM. During the trial, select users will enjoy free 5G data. If they move out of the 5G coverage area, they will be switched to 4G, using data from their existing plan. Additionally, users will receive notifications about their data usage.
Vi’s 5G Rollout Plan
Aditya Birla Group-owned Vi plans to roll out full-fledged 5G services around Holi. In its third-quarter earnings, the telecom firm stated that the commercial launch of 5G services in Mumbai is planned for March 2025, followed by Delhi, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, and Patna in April 2025.
"We said that Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru were the three metros that had to be covered first. And then we move on to other important cities where we have a strong position, like Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Kerala. So, those would be the next in line, and we will provide further guidance by the time of the next earnings call," Akshaya Moondra, CEO of Vodafone Idea, told analysts.
Vi invested $3.6 billion (Rs 30,000 crore) in deals with Nokia, Ericsson, and Samsung last year to enhance 4G coverage and deploy 5G networks. With equipment supplies in progress, the company is rapidly deploying 5G base stations to expedite the rollout of its next-generation services.
Meanwhile, in the third quarter of the fiscal year 2025, Jio added 22 million 5G subscribers, ending the quarter with 170 million 5G users. This made Jio the telecom operator with the largest 5G subscriber base outside of China. By the end of the quarter, 5G accounted for 40% of Jio's wireless traffic.
On the other hand, Bharti Airtel (Airtel) reported 120 million 5G customers in Q3 FY25, marking a year-on-year increase of 28.2 million. Airtel has also expanded its network to cover over 89,000 villages across India.
