Vodafone Idea (Vi) officially launched its 5G services in March 2025, starting with the Mumbai circle. Now, the telco is expanding its 5G footprint in April to four more circles: Bihar, Delhi, Karnataka, and Punjab, as confirmed on Vi’s official website. This brings the total number of circles where Vi offers 5G services to five.
While it remains unclear if more circles will be added this month, Vi has already met the Minimum Rollout Obligations (MRO) required by the government. With this milestone, the company is now focusing on ramping up deployment of 5G radios and sites to compete with industry giants Airtel and Jio.
Free 5G Access with Select Vi Plans
In a competitive move, Vodafone Idea is offering 5G access at no additional cost to customers on select plans. Prepaid users with plans priced at Rs 299 or above and postpaid users with plans starting at Rs 451 will enjoy 5G benefits.
However, the so-called “unlimited” 5G comes with a cap. Users will get 300GB of 5G data every 28 days, after which speed and access might be restricted as per plan terms. This strategy is designed to attract data-hungry users looking for affordable next-gen connectivity.
Using Equity Funds to Boost 5G & 4G Expansion
Vi is backing its 5G rollout with the help of funds raised through its recent equity initiatives. These funds are being channelled into capital expenditure (capex) for expanding both 5G and 4G infrastructure across India.
Importantly, Vi is deploying 5G NSA (Non-Standalone Architecture), which means the new 5G services are built on top of its existing 4G network. This ensures compatibility with almost all 5G smartphones currently available in India and allows for faster rollout in multiple regions.
Road Ahead: Competing With Jio & Airtel
Though Vi has entered the 5G race, the company is still in the early stages of deployment. The network will undergo continuous optimization and fine-tuning to deliver a better user experience.
Industry experts believe that Vi may take 1.5 to 2 years to match the 5G coverage and performance levels of Jio and Airtel. However, with strategic investments and customer-focused plans, Vi is gearing up to make its mark in the Indian 5G landscape.
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