You can now use Vodafone Idea's 5G in Kolkata, Lucknow
What's the story
Debt-ridden telecom giant Vodafone Idea has announced the expansion of its 5G network to 23 more cities in India. The new locations include state capitals such as Jaipur, Kolkata, and Lucknow. The firm had previously launched its fifth-generation mobile services in five cities: Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, and Patna.
Expansion details
New cities added to Vi's 5G network
The newly added cities in Vodafone Idea's 5G network include Agra, Ahmedabad, Aurangabad, Kozhikode, Kochi, Dehradun, Indore, and Jaipur. Others are Kolkata, Lucknow, Meerut, Madurai, Malappuram, Nagpur, Nashik, Pune, Rajkot, Sonepat, Surat, Siliguri, Thiruvananthapuram, Vadodara, and Visakhapatnam. "Vi has commenced the next phase of its 5G rollout," the company said in an official statement.
Service availability
Unlimited 5G data on prepaid and postpaid plans
Customers with compatible 5G devices in these newly added cities will be able to access the high-speed network as soon as the services go live. As part of its introductory offer, Vi is offering unlimited 5G data on prepaid and postpaid plans starting at ₹299. The company also revealed plans to install one lakh new mobile towers over the next six months.
Infrastructure upgrade
Vi has deployed 4G services on about 65,000 sites
Vi has deployed 4G services on the 900MHz band at some 65,000 sites, improving coverage and indoor connectivity. It has also deployed more than 56,000 sites on the 1,800MHz/2,100MHz/TDD bands (4G spectrum frequencies), resulting in a 35% boost in overall data capacity and a 26% increase in average speeds. The company has acquired spectrum for its 5G network across all but five of India's telecom circles.