Vodafone Idea, the country’s third struggling telco, plans to launch 5G services, matching the likes of Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, but the firm has not offered any specific timeline for the launch or coverage of ultra-high-speed internet services. . Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla on Saturday pledged the telco’s commitment to take India to “the new pace of the country’s digital journey”, speaking at the inauguration of India Mobile Congress 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the launch of 5G services in the country.
“We will soon begin the journey of 5G rollout. We will gradually roll out our 5G network and services over the coming period leveraging our strong presence in rural India, our enterprise customers, our tech partners and the global experience of the Vodafone Group,” Birla. said
Unlike rivals Reliance Jio and Airtel, which have outlined firm timelines for launching 5G services, Vodafone Idea has not revealed any rollout schedule or timeframe.
Bharti Airtel’s 5G service will be available in eight cities from Saturday, its chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said at the event. Mittal also said that Airtel will launch 5G services in several cities across the country by March 2023 and across India by March 2024.
Reliance Jio, the country’s largest telecom company, will expand 5G telephony services offering ultra-high-speed internet connectivity to every part of the country by December 2023, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani said at a mega telecom event.
Financial pressure is mounting on cash-strapped Vodafone Idea, despite opting to convert about Rs 16,000 crore of interest liability owed to the government into equity.
Mobile tower giant Indus Towers has reportedly asked debt-ridden Vodafone Idea to settle its dues and make monthly payments on time to continue business after November. According to sources, American Tower Corporation (ATC), which has 75,000 mobile towers in India, is also taking steps to secure its dues.
“We have 240 million people connected to our network and 50 percent of them are in rural India. Our network has been continuously upgraded to enable a fast and smooth migration to 5G. With concrete steps taken to develop the 5G ecosystem, 5G use cases for Indian industry and consumers and streamlined Acquisition of 5G spectrum in the auction, we will soon start the 5G rollout journey,” Birla said.
He said that the government’s serious policy intervention in the telecom sector has boosted investor confidence and hoped that the sector would continue to receive policy support.
Aditya Birla Group Chairman called 5G a “generational leap in technology”, showcasing India’s prowess on the global stage and strengthening the telecom industry’s role as the backbone of Digital India.
The telecom industry is one of the major growth engines of the country, which has catapulted India into the top five economies of the world. It is playing a transformative role to touch every aspect of daily life and work, Birla said.
He said, “Today we are ready to take a giant leap into the future thanks to the reformist and futuristic policies of our Prime Minister, we are committed to the vision of building digital infrastructure for tomorrow’s India.”
On Saturday, VIL also showcased a 5G use case and demonstrated how the technology can be used to ensure worker safety and efficiency in critical construction sites.
With the launch of 5G network, the telecom industry will further ignite the digital dreams of 1.3 billion Indians and thousands of industries, Birla said.
“It will also set the stage for the country to become a $5 trillion (approx. Rs. 408 lakh crore) economy in the next few years with a contribution of $1 trillion (approx. Rs. 81 lakh crore) from the digital economy. 5G will. Scale up services and Industries 4.0, automated manufacturing, Creating impact in critical areas such as connected factories, smart cities, smart homes, immersive gaming and creating other innovative business and consumer solutions,” Birla noted.
The 5G-era will accelerate immersive learning, remote health and smart agriculture to enable inclusive growth and prosperity in rural India.
The launch of 5G services marks the beginning of an exciting journey for India, he said, adding that as the ecosystem evolves, it will unlock unlimited potential for 5G development and use cases over the next few years.
“Telecom industry will certainly play its role in bringing to life his (Prime Minister’s) vision for Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India),” he said.
