Vodafone Idea, one of India’s top telecom players, has expanded its 5G offerings to Bengaluru. This rollout comes as part of a strategic plan to deploy 5G services across all 17 priority telecom circles by August. Partnering with Samsung Electronics, Vodafone Idea has already tested its 5G technologies in cities like Chandigarh and Patna.
The collaboration with Samsung aims to upgrade existing 2G and 4G networks to include cutting-edge 5G infrastructure. This strategic partnership dates back to 2024 and targets regions such as Bihar, Karnataka, and Punjab. Samsung provides advanced network solutions, including energy-efficient radios and virtually operated network components, which significantly bolster connectivity and performance.
A centerpiece of the Bengaluru rollout is Samsung’s integrate technology, which harmonizes 2G, 4G, and 5G networks. The use of 32T32R Massive MIMO units supports multiple spectrum bands, crucial for efficient 5G deployment. Virtualized baseband components like the virtualized Central Unit (vCU) and India’s first virtualized base station controller (vBSC) also play a pivotal role. These elements allow the company to maintain and upgrade infrastructure based on software, not hardware. This shift leads to greater agility without sacrificing the support for crucial 2G services, especially in less urbanized areas.
Jagbir Singh, CTO at Vodafone Idea, stated, “The launch of Vodafone Idea’s 5G services in Bengaluru is an important step forward in our collaboration with Samsung. With Samsung’s technology, we aim to offer improved customer experiences through high-capacity and reliable connectivity.”
Woojune Kim of Samsung Electronics, echoed this sentiment, highlighting Bengaluru’s innovative climate and the importance of their involvement: “Bengaluru is a major hub for innovation, and we’re proud to work with Vodafone Idea to bring next-generation connectivity to this market.”