Vodafone Idea plans to launch 5G mobile broadband services in 75 cities by March: Report

Vodafone Idea (Vi) is expected to launch its 5G mobile broadband services this year in March. It is reportedly looking to price the plans aggressively. Its 5G network is likely to be launched in 75 cities across the country. 

According to a report in The Economic Times, Vi is looking to win back the customers who switched to Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel. Vi is also aiming to target industrial hubs, heavy on data-guzzling. 

Vi’s plans may be up to 15 per cent cheaper at entry levels, lower than what Jio and Airtel are offering. A Vi spokesperson said that they are gearing up to launch the 5G services and are committed to providing the best experience and price. The spokesperson also said that Vi would be able to further enhance its 4G coverage and introduce 5G services in key cities at the earliest. 

Vodafone Idea shares were trading slightly higher in Thursday's trade. Last checked, the stock was up 0.50 per cent at Rs 8.06. Around 1.25 crore shares changed hands today on BSE at the time of writing this story. The figure was lower than the two-week average volume of 4.75 crore shares.

Vi CEO Akshaya Moondra had earlier signalled that the telco may keep its 5G base pricing lower than its bigger rivals. 

The telco had recently closed a $3.6 billion (Rs 30,000 crore) worth of deals with global network vendors Nokia, Ericsson and Samsung. With the funding it is expected to expand its 4G coverage and roll out the 5G network. 

The report added that Vi is targeting around 75,000 5G sites in three years, and gear supplies are already underway. The telco is reportedly using a mix of 3.5 GHz (C-band) and 1,800 MHz spectrum initially.