The Indian government has reckons 5G coverage now extends to all states and 99.6 percent of districts nationwide.
India had 469,000 5G base stations at the end of February, according to the latest available figures from the country’s Ministry of Communications. The ministry said the number of active 5G subscribers in the country surpassed 250 million in the period – in less than two and a half years since 5G was commercially launched.
It said 5G coverage now extends to all states and 99.6% of districts nationwide.
Indian operators Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel have started their 5G rollouts in October 2022. Currently, both Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio Infocomm offer 5G networks in all major cities across the country. While Jio is offering standalone 5G (5G SA) technology, Airtel has so far opted for non-standalone 5G (5G NSA).
Jio ended 2024 with 170 million 5G users, marking a 15 percent annual increase and representing 35 percent of its mobile customer base. Meanwhile, Airtel’s 5G subscriber count reached 120 million.
Vodafone Idea recently joined them, launching its 5G service in Mumbai last week. Vodafone Idea plans to deploy 10,000 5G sites across 17 service areas in the current fiscal year -ending March 31, and an additional 12,000 in fiscal 2026.
Vodafone Idea said it will continue with the deployment of 5G technology in India in a phased manner. The carrier had been carrying out 5G trials in various telecom circles across the country. As part of its revival plan, Vodafone Idea had recently raised fresh funds to improve 4G coverage and roll out 5G to prevent further subscriber losses.
Also, state-run telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) previously confirmed it has received interest from three companies for deploying its 5G Standalone (SA) network in Delhi, covering 1,876 sites across the national capital.
BSNL first announced the tender in November 2024 to kickstart 5G operations in Delhi.
To deliver 5G SA services, BSNL will utilize the 900 MHz and 3.3 GHz spectrum bands. Initially, the rollout will target 100,000 subscribers, with plans to introduce fixed wireless access (FWA) 5G services. The telco has already started testing its 5G indigenous technology at three locations in New Delhi — Nehru Place, Chanakyapuri and Minto Road.
BSNL has confirmed that commercial 5G services are expected to launch in 2025, following successful network trials.
