New Delhi, March 19 – Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL) has officially launched its 5G services in India, beginning with Mumbai and set to expand to five other cities in the next phase. The telecom operator is banking on this new offering to curb customer attrition and regain a strong foothold in the highly competitive Indian telecom market, as per agency report.
The company announced that its 5G services will initially be available as an unlimited add-on plan starting at ₹299. However, the duration of this introductory offer has not been specified. This move comes as Vodafone Idea struggles to regain its position in the Indian telecom sector, which saw the rollout of 5G networks in October 2022.
Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, VIL’s major competitors, have already established significant market dominance in the 5G space. By December 2024, Jio had acquired 170 million 5G subscribers, while Airtel's 5G user base stood at 120 million.
Vodafone Idea has laid out an ambitious expansion plan, aiming to introduce its 5G services in 100 cities and towns across 17 telecom circles within the next three years. The company has assured that it has adequate capital to support this growth strategy.
Jagbir Singh, Vodafone Idea’s Chief Technology Officer, stated that following the launch in Mumbai, the company will extend its 5G services to Delhi, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Patna, and Mysuru by April. The next phase of expansion will cover Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, and Chennai.
Singh also highlighted that the company will continue adding more cities based on the availability of 5G-enabled devices and consumer demand. He emphasized that Vodafone Idea’s advanced network management system is designed to minimize downtime, ensuring minimal disruption to users during network upgrades.
The launch of 5G services marks a critical step for Vodafone Idea as it seeks to strengthen its position in the Indian telecom sector and compete more effectively against its rivals.
