Vodafone Idea is finally picking up pace on its 5G rollout, and it looks like the company is trying to close the gap with rivals like Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel. The telecom operator has now announced that it will expand its 5G services to 90 more cities over the next couple of months.
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At the moment, Vi’s 5G network is available in 43 cities across 17 circles. With this upcoming expansion, that number is expected to jump to 133 cities by May 2026. It’s a big step, especially for a company that has been relatively slower in rolling out 5G compared to its competitors.
Where Is Vi Expanding Next
The rollout isn’t random. Vi is focusing on places where 5G demand is already strong or growing quickly. This includes major regions like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and parts of Uttar Pradesh, among others.
Some of the cities that are next in line include Chennai, Hyderabad, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Puducherry, Gandhinagar, Goa, and Kolhapur. At the same time, smaller but important cities like Ludhiana, Amritsar, Haridwar, Gangtok, Bhiwandi, and Udaipur are also part of the plan.
The idea here is pretty clear. Instead of just chasing numbers, Vi is trying to strengthen its presence in areas where people are already using a lot of data or where adoption is expected to rise quickly.
What’s Powering This Expansion
To achieve this rollout, Vi is collaborating with telecom infrastructure companies around the world like Nokia, Ericsson, and Samsung. This is likely to enhance network quality and coverage as it rolls out.
Playing Catch-Up, But With Intent
Let’s be real, Vi is still behind in the 5G race. Both Jio and Airtel already have a much wider footprint across the country. But this move shows that Vi is not sitting back anymore. The next couple of months will be crucial in deciding how well it can actually compete in India’s fast-moving 5G space.