21 May 2025
Vodafone Idea (Vi) has officially launched its 5G services across the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) in collaboration with Ericsson.
The company also announced that it is on track to deploy 5G in all 17 priority circles where it holds spectrum by August this year.
For the Delhi NCR launch, Vi deployed Ericsson’s energy-efficient and lightweight Massive MIMO radios, including the mid-band antenna-integrated AIR 3268 and AIR 3255 models.
Ericsson highlighted that its Massive MIMO radios enhance spectrum efficiency for Vi’s non-standalone 5G network, reduce total cost of ownership, and have a smaller energy footprint. These radios are part of a broader contract awarded to Ericsson in October 2024, aimed at upgrading Vi’s existing 4G network and deploying 5G across the circles where Vi already operates, as well as new circles in Delhi, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan.
Ericsson also confirmed that it has successfully modernized Vi’s network in Delhi by replacing legacy 2G and 4G equipment with its advanced radio solutions. In addition, Vodafone Idea has deployed AI-powered self-organizing network (SON) technology to further optimize network performance and efficiency.
Following earlier launches in Mumbai, Chandigarh, and Patna, the Delhi NCR rollout marks another step in Vi’s nationwide 5G expansion. The company has indicated that cities such as Bengaluru and Mysuru are next on the list, with ongoing deployment efforts across other key markets in the remaining circles.
Vodafone Idea has committed a budget of INR 550 billion over three years to support its 5G rollout.
