In a major push to enhance 4G connectivity, Nokia has been selected to lead the expansion and modernization of Vodafone Idea Limited’s (VIL) network infrastructure across India. The strategic partnership includes Nokia deploying the latest Baseband and Radio modules across VIL’s network, aiming to boost both coverage and capacity to meet increasing data demands.
As part of the deal, Nokia will add nearly 3,300 new sites by March 2025, alongside upgrades to more than 42,000 technology sites and spectrum expansions across 25,000 locations. This expansion is expected to improve bandwidth and data capacity significantly. According to Nokia: “100% of the spectrum bandwidth expansion, nearly 40% of the technology addition, and 15% of the new sites are already completed.”
In addition, Nokia is deploying ultra-lean sites designed to address hotspot coverage needs and enhance user experience in high-demand areas. Nokia projects that VIL will continue focusing on expanding its coverage and capacity into 2025, including plans to extend data services to rural and previously unconnected regions, which will “benefit all the Vi customers immensely.”
Jagbir Singh, CTO of Vodafone Idea, emphasized the importance of Nokia’s support in expanding the network: “Nokia is one of our key long-term partners, and support from Nokia has been fantastic. We are working closely with Nokia to expand our 4G network coverage to 20 million additional people by March 2025. This will also enhance 4G network capacity by 25%, enabling us to offer superior customer experience in nine circles out of our 17 priority circles.”
Tarun Chhabra, Senior Vice President and Country Head of Nokia India echoed this sentiment, stating: “As a long-standing strategic partner of Vi, we are proud to support their LTE network expansion and modernization across Nokia-supplied circles. This upgrade will enhance mobile experiences for millions of Vi customers while laying the foundation for a seamless transition to 5G technology.”
With this extensive network rollout underway, Vodafone Idea aims to deliver improved connectivity, enhanced data capacity, and expanded coverage to millions of customers, strengthening its position in the Indian telecom market.
