Vodafone Idea’s AI-driven 5G rollout represents a strategic technological shift for India’s third-largest telecom operator. By leveraging artificial intelligence in its self-organizing network infrastructure, the company aims to efficiently deploy 5G across 17 priority circles while replacing legacy Chinese equipment, potentially reshaping its competitive position in India’s evolving telecom landscape.
The big picture: Vodafone Idea has launched commercial 5G services in Mumbai and plans rapid expansion to four additional cities by April 2025, powered by AI-based optimization technology.
- The company plans to deploy 75,000 5G sites across India over the next three years, focusing on 17 priority circles.
- Vi is replacing legacy Chinese equipment with gear from Nokia, Ericsson, and Samsung as part of its network modernization strategy.
AI-powered advantage: Vi’s Chief Technology Officer highlights their AI-based self-organizing network as a key competitive differentiator in the 5G race.
- “We are using AI-based self-organising network (SON), which is actually optimising the resources of the network for the right use and right set of customers,” stated Jagbir Singh, CTO of Vodafone Idea.
- The AI implementation allows Vi to optimize network resources dynamically, potentially improving efficiency and customer experience.
Technical specifications: Vi’s initial 5G deployment uses Non-Standalone architecture with plans to trial more advanced network configurations by mid-year.
- Trial 5G speeds in Mumbai have reached up to 243 Mbps, establishing a performance baseline for the commercial service.
- The company plans to begin testing 5G Standalone (SA) architecture by mid-2025, signaling a forward-looking network evolution strategy.
Expansion timeline: Following Mumbai’s commercial launch, Vi plans to activate 5G in Bangalore, Chandigarh, Patna, and Mysore by April’s end.
- The multi-city expansion represents the first phase of Vi’s three-year 5G deployment roadmap.
- Vi is also exploring Fixed Wireless Access services, potentially diversifying its 5G offerings beyond mobile connectivity.
Future outlook: While aggressively pursuing 5G expansion, Vi acknowledges that 4G will remain its network backbone for nearly a decade.
- The company is targeting both consumer and enterprise markets, with particular interest in private 5G network opportunities.
- The 75,000 planned 5G sites suggest a measured approach compared to the nationwide deployments by competitors Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel.
Recent Stories
DOE fusion roadmap targets 2030s commercial deployment as AI drives $9B investment
The Department of Energy has released a new roadmap targeting commercial-scale fusion power deployment by the mid-2030s, though the plan lacks specific funding commitments and relies on scientific breakthroughs that have eluded researchers for decades. The strategy emphasizes public-private partnerships and positions AI as both a research tool and motivation for developing fusion energy to meet data centers' growing electricity demands. The big picture: The DOE's roadmap aims to "deliver the public infrastructure that supports the fusion private sector scale up in the 2030s," but acknowledges it cannot commit to specific funding levels and remains subject to Congressional appropriations. Why...
Oct 17, 2025Tying it all together: Credo’s purple cables power the $4B AI data center boom
Credo, a Silicon Valley semiconductor company specializing in data center cables and chips, has seen its stock price more than double this year to $143.61, following a 245% surge in 2024. The company's signature purple cables, which cost between $300-$500 each, have become essential infrastructure for AI data centers, positioning Credo to capitalize on the trillion-dollar AI infrastructure expansion as hyperscalers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Elon Musk's xAI rapidly build out massive computing facilities. What you should know: Credo's active electrical cables (AECs) are becoming indispensable for connecting the massive GPU clusters required for AI training and inference. The company...
Oct 17, 2025Vatican launches Latin American AI network for human development
The Vatican hosted a two-day conference bringing together 50 global experts to explore how artificial intelligence can advance peace, social justice, and human development. The event launched the Latin American AI Network for Integral Human Development and established principles for ethical AI governance that prioritize human dignity over technological advancement. What you should know: The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the Vatican's research body for social issues, organized the "Digital Rerum Novarum" conference on October 16-17, combining academic research with practical AI applications. Participants included leading experts from MIT, Microsoft, Columbia University, the UN, and major European institutions. The conference...