Nokia has announced a strategic plan to deploy 3,300 new 4G sites for Vodafone Idea (Vi) by March 2025, marking a major expansion in Vi’s network reach and capacity. This initiative is part of a larger $3.6 billion network equipment deal involving Nokia, Ericsson, and Samsung, aimed at enhancing Vi’s service quality and preparing for future technological upgrades.
Key Details of the Network Expansion
New Infrastructure Sites: Nokia will set up nearly 3,300 new 4G sites to boost Vi’s coverage across nine of India’s 17 priority telecom circles, targeting an additional 20 million users.
Site Upgrades and Spectrum Expansion: Alongside new site installations, Nokia will upgrade over 42,000 existing sites and enhance spectrum on more than 25,000 locations. These upgrades are expected to increase Vi’s 4G network capacity by 25%, providing faster and more reliable services to millions of customers.
Progress Update: The project has already achieved 100% of planned spectrum expansions, nearly 40% completion of technology upgrades, and 15% of new site installations, signaling significant early progress.
Focus on Rural Coverage: Nokia’s expansion strategy also includes deploying ultra-lean sites, which will improve connectivity in high-demand urban areas and bring coverage to underserved rural regions where traditional infrastructure is often limited.
Strategic Significance of the Expansion
The collaboration highlights Nokia’s role as a primary partner in modernizing Vi’s infrastructure and setting the stage for future developments like 5G. Tarun Chhabra, Nokia India’s Senior Vice President and Country Head, emphasized that this partnership aims to enrich mobile experiences for Vi’s customers while strengthening Vi’s network for next-generation services.
The extensive upgrades and new infrastructure are expected to improve the overall customer experience for Vi users and better position the company to compete in India’s fast-evolving telecommunications sector.
