February 11, 2025
What's the Story
Vodafone Idea has announced that it will launch its 5G services in Mumbai by March 2025. The company has outlined plans to expand 5G services to other major cities, including Delhi, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, and Patna, by April.
This comes on the heels of Vodafone Idea’s successful expansion of its 4G coverage across India over the past year.
Network Growth
4G Coverage Expansion and Future Plans
Vodafone Idea has expanded its 4G coverage to an additional 41 million people over the last nine months, reaching a total population coverage of 1.07 billion by December 2024, up from 1.03 billion in March 2024. The company also reported a 24% increase in 4G data capacity, which resulted in nearly a 28% improvement in 4G speeds.
Infrastructure Development
Vodafone Idea's Network Enhancement
To enhance its network, Vodafone Idea rolled out 4G on the sub-GHz 900 band across 15,000 sites, improving both coverage and indoor network experience. The company also added 10,400 sites in the 1,800MHz and 2,100MHz bands to boost network capacity, offering faster data speeds for users on its Vi GIGAnet network.
Financial Performance
ARPU and Subscriber Base in Q3 FY25
Vodafone Idea reported an increase in its average revenue per user (ARPU) to ₹173 in Q3 FY25, up from ₹166 in the previous quarter. This 4.7% rise was driven by tariff hikes and customers upgrading to higher plans. The company’s 4G subscriber base stood at 126 million as of Q3 FY25, showing a slight increase from 125.6 million in Q3 FY24.