Vi To Begin 5G Services in Parts of Delhi and Pune Soon

After over a year of ongoing 5G network rollouts by rivals Airtel and Jio, Vi (Vodafone Idea) will soon begin providing 5G connectivity in select locations in Delhi and Pune. This marks Vi's initial foray into the 5G space in India after it deployed the 5G network at Pragati Maidan in Delhi.

An update on Vi's website states that customers can now experience the company's 5G network in certain areas of the two cities. However, no specific details have been shared about the coverage areas.

Vi customers will need a 5G SIM card for upgraded network services. The operator has previously indicated that existing 4G SIMs are already 5G-enabled. New 5G SIMs can also be purchased from Vi stores.

While an official launch announcement is awaited, Vi appears to have taken a soft-launch approach for its nascent 5G services in Delhi and Pune for now. The company had conducted successful 5G trials across different spectrum bands in Pune earlier.

Vi is playing catch up in India's 5G race, as Airtel and Jio have rapidly expanded their next-gen networks to thousands of towns and cities. At a recent event, Vi's chairman acknowledged that spectrum auction rollout targets may be missed in some circles due to financial constraints.

The operator plans significant investments in the future. It has readied its core network for 5G and is focused on further deployments and augmenting 4G infrastructure nationwide.