After Mumbai, Vodafone Idea launches 5G services in Chandigarh and Patna

Vodafone Idea Limited (Vi) on Monday announced the launch of its 5G services in Chandigarh and Patna, expanding its next-generation network footprint after the successful rollout in Mumbai last month.

Vi customers with compatible 5G devices in the two cities will be able to access the high-speed network from April 28.

The company said the move is part of its initial 5G rollout phase, which will soon extend to Delhi and Bangalore in May.

In March, Vi launched its 5G services in Mumbai, where over 70% of eligible users are already experiencing Vi 5G, contributing to around 20% of the network's total data traffic.

“Additionally, coinciding with the ongoing T20 League, Vi also enabled 5G services in 11 major cricket stadiums across the country, allowing fans to enjoy high speeds during live matches,” the company said in a release.

As part of its introductory offer, Vi is offering unlimited 5G data on plans starting at ₹299, allowing customers to experience faster streaming, gaming, conferencing, downloads, and real-time cloud access.

For the deployment of its 5G network in Chandigarh and Patna, Vi has partnered with Samsung and implemented energy-efficient infrastructure, vRAN technology, and AI-based Self-Organizing Network (SON) systems to optimize performance and enhance flexibility.

The company said it will continue expanding its 5G rollout in line with the increase in 5G device penetration and user demand.

The development comes days after the Union government raised its stake in Vodafone Idea to 48.99% following the conversion of ₹36,950 crore worth of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues into equity. Before the conversion, the government's stake stood at around 22.6%.

Meanwhile, Vodafone Idea continues to struggle with subscriber retention. The telecom major lost over 13 lakh mobile users in January even as its adjusted gross revenue (AGR) grew 6.69% year-on-year to ₹7,958.46 crore.