Nokia to deploy 3,300 new sites for VI's 4G expansion by March 2025

Nokia will set up close to 3,300 new infrastructure sites, including towers, for Vodafone Idea (Vi) by March, 2025 as part of the telco’s plan to expand its 4G network coverage to 20 million additional population.

 

Nokia also said in a statement that it will upgrade over 42,000 technology sites, and more than 25,000 spectrum expansions across Vi’s network.

 

“So far, 100 per cent of the spectrum bandwidth expansion, nearly 40% of the technology addition and 15 per cent of new sites are already completed,” Nokia said.

 

In September, Vi announced a mega $3.6 billion or Rs 30,000 crore deal with global telecom equipment makers Nokia, Ericsson, and Samsung, for the supply of network equipment over a three-year period.

 

Priority is being given to ultra-lean sites, and they are being deployed rapidly to address hot spot coverage requirements and enhanced user experience in specific locations as per market demand, Nokia said.

 

“This will also enhance 4G network capacity by 25 per cent, enabling us to offer superior customer experience in nine circles out of our 17 priority circles,” Vi’s Chief Technology Officer Jagbir Singh said. In October, Singh had told Business Standard the telco plans to deploy new gear sourced from global vendors across 45,000 4G sites in the next 18-24 months

 

Nokia believes Vi shall continue with its focus on coverage and capacity expansions in 2025, stepping up the data capacities and taking services deeper into rural and unconnected areas. 

 

“As a long-standing strategic partner of Vi, we are proud to support their LTE network expansion and modernisation 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,” Tarun Chhabra, Sr. Vice President & Country Head, Nokia (India) said.