Vodafone Idea recently announced plans to roll out 5G services across all 17 of its priority telecom circles in India by August this year
In sum – what to know:
Vi expands 5G in India – Vodafone Idea has launched 5G services in Bengaluru with Samsung, following earlier rollouts in Chandigarh and Patna.
Samsung tech – Samsung’s compact radios and virtualized software solutions support 2G, 4G and 5G connectivity with improved efficiency.
Network virtualization – Vi’s adoption of virtualized core elements like vCU and India’s first vBSC reflects a move toward more agile, software-based infrastructure.
Indian carrier Vodafone Idea (Vi) has launched its 5G commercial services in Bengaluru via a partnership with Korean vendor Samsung Electronics.
Vodafone Idea and Samsung have worked together since 2024 to upgrade the operator’s legacy 2G and 4G networks and roll out new 5G infrastructure across key telecom circles, including Bihar, Karnataka, and Punjab. Bengaluru, along with Chandigarh and Patna, are among the first cities to see commercial launches under this collaboration.
For this recent network rollout in Bengaluru, Samsung has provided a suite of network solutions for these deployments, including energy-efficient radios designed for high performance. These radios, which include 32T32R Massive MIMO units, are built to support multiple spectrum bands, Vodafone Idea said.
The Indian carrier has also adopted Samsung’s Radio Access Network (RAN) solutions, which feature virtualized baseband components such as the virtualized Central Unit (vCU).
The companies have implemented what it claims to be India’s first virtualized base station controller (vBSC) to support the telco’s ongoing 2G services, which remain critical for basic mobile services, especially in rural areas. The virtualization of key network elements allows Vodafone Idea to modernize its infrastructure without abandoning support for previous technologies.
Jagbir Singh, chief technology officer at Vodafone Idea, said: “The launch of Vodafone Idea’s 5G services in Bengaluru, Chandigarh and Patna is an important step forward in our collaboration with Samsung. With Samsung’s technology, we aim to offer improved customer experiences through high-capacity and reliable connectivity.”
Woojune Kim, president and head of networks business at Samsung Electronics, said: “Bengaluru is a major hub for innovation, and we’re proud to work with Vodafone Idea to bring next-generation connectivity to this market. Our focus remains on anticipating future operator needs and delivering flexible, software-based network solutions.”
Vodafone Idea recently announced plans to roll out 5G services across all 17 of its priority telecom circles in India by August this year.
Since March, Vodafone Idea has introduced 5G services for consumers in Mumbai, Chandigarh and Patna. The operator has stated that its investments in expansion and upgrades will be concentrated in 17 of India’s 22 telecom circles, including key areas such as Mumbai, Delhi, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, and both East and West Uttar Pradesh.
For the recent 5G deployment in Delhi, Vodafone Idea has partnered with Swedish vendor Ericsson to build the 5G infrastructure, which includes more energy-efficient and lightweight hardware. The telco also highlighted the use of AI-driven self-organizing network (SON) technology to boost network efficiency. Its 5G deployment is based on a non-standalone (NSA) 5G architecture.
The telco launched its commercial 5G services in Mumbai in March, about two and a half years after rival telcos Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio Infocomm.
Vodafone Idea recently told investors that launching 5G services later than its competitors has helped the company use newer technology and save costs. The carrier noted this delay allowed it to strategically adopt advanced Disaggregated Radio Access Network (RAN) systems, which improve operational efficiency, offer new capabilities, and significantly reduce network deployment and maintenance expenses.
Vodafone Idea, the third-largest private telecom operator in India, also aims to reach at least 90% of India’s population with 4G coverage by June 2025, compared to current 77%.
