Vodafone Idea (Vi) has silently rolled out 5G services in India, according to a report. The telecom service provider has launched commercial operations of 5G in 17 circles across the country, including Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, and New Delhi. The rollout comes after the company’s CEO reportedly said in January that the 5G rollout in India would start within six to seven months. While the service is available in 17 different cities, 5G connectivity is said to be only available in specific areas.
Vodafone Idea (Vi) Rolls Out 5G Services in 17 Cities
According to a TelecomTalk report, Vi is now offering 5G operations in 17 licensed service areas (LSAs) across India. The current launch is said to be “small-scale”, as the network is available in specific locations within these cities, marking the entry of the telecom operator in the 5G space.
Vi has deployed 5G on both the 3.3GHz and the 26GHz spectrum, as per the report. Further, the service is said to be available to both prepaid and postpaid users. Some users have also posted screenshots of 5G services enabled on their handsets.
Gadgets 360 staff members were not able to verify the presence of Vi’s 5G network in these locations, and the telecom operator has yet to officially announce the rollout of its 5G services in the country.
Coming to pricing, the publication states that prepaid users will need to recharge with the Rs. 475 pack to access 5G connectivity. On the other hand, the postpaid users will be required to select the REDX 1101 plan to access the same.
List of LSAs and Areas With Active 5G
| Circles | Areas with active 5G |
|---|---|
| Rajasthan | Jaipur (near Galaxy Cinema, Mansarovar Industrial Area, RIICO) |
| Haryana | Karnal (HSIIDC, Industrial Area, Sector-3) |
| Kolkata | Sector V, Salt Lake |
| Kerala | Thrikkakara, Kakkanad |
| UP East | Lucknow (Vibhuti Khand, Gomtinagar) |
| UP West | Agra (Near J.P. Hotel, Fatehabad Road) |
| Madhya Pradesh | Indore (Electronic Complex, Pardeshipura) |
| Gujarat | Ahmedabad (Near Divya Bhaskar, Corporate Road, Makarba, Prahladnagar) |
| Andhra Pradesh | Hyderabad (Aida Upal, Ranga Reddy) |
| West Bengal | Siliguri (City Plaza Sevok Road) |
| Bihar | Patna (Anishabad Golamber) |
| Mumbai | Worli, Marol Andheri East |
| Karnataka | Bengaluru (Dairy Circle) |
| Punjab | Jalandhar (Kot Kalan) |
| Tamil Nadu | Chennai (Perungudi, Nesapakkam) |
| Maharashtra | Pune (Shivaji Nagar) |
| Delhi | Okhla Industrial Area (Phase 2), India Gate, Pragati Maidan |
According to the publication, Vi has not rolled out the 26GHz band or the N258 band in Bihar. The spectrum is said to have been deployed in all the other listed circles.
