Vodafone Idea (Vi) is set to launch its highly anticipated 5G mobile services gradually starting in March, an initiative that will enable the struggling telecom to strengthen its competition against major players Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel.

“Partnering with global leaders such as Ericsson, Nokia and Samsung, we are driving a transformative three-year investment plan. By March 2025, thousands of new sites will enhance your connectivity, elevating your network experience to extraordinary heights,” Moondra said in a letter to Vi customers.

“We are preparing for the phased rollout of 5G, bringing you blazing-fast speeds and unparalleled experiences,” he added.

To improve quality, coverage, and experience, Moondra said Vi added over 46,000 new sites, and expanded capacity at over 58,000 sites in 2024.

“A lot more of our network is now on our Indoor Coverage Plus technology, which significantly boosts indoor coverage and quality whether you are at home, at the office, or a mall,” he stated.

Vi, the telecom joint venture formed by India’s Aditya Birla Group (ABG) and the UK’s Vodafone Group Plc, finalized three-year contracts worth $3.6 billion for 4G modernization and 5G equipment procurement last year with Swedish Ericsson, Finland’s Nokia, and South Korean Samsung. During a presentation to investors in December 2024, Vi announced its intention to invest between Rs 50,000 and 55,000 crores in capital expenditures (capex) over the upcoming two to three years to enhance 4G coverage and introduce 5G in major cities.