Telecom operator Vodafone Idea (Vi) has announced the launch of its 5G services in Pune, starting tomorrow. With this, Pune becomes the fifth city in Maharashtra to experience Vi’s next-generation connectivity. The company had earlier introduced 5G in Nagpur, Nashik and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, after first rolling out its network in Mumbai in March this year.
Vi has already launched 5G in several cities including Delhi-NCR, Bangalore, Mysuru, Chandigarh, Patna, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Meerut, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, as part of its phased expansion across its 17 priority circles.
Customers in Pune with 5G-enabled devices will be able to access Vi’s services starting tomorrow. As part of its introductory offer, the company is providing unlimited 5G data on plans starting from ₹299. According to Vi, users can expect high-definition streaming, gaming, video conferencing, faster downloads, and real-time cloud access.
Commenting on the launch, Rohit Tandon, Operations Director, Vodafone Idea, said: “As we launch Vi 5G in Pune, we are excited to bring the future of connectivity to the Queen of the Deccan. With our next-gen 5G alongside our robust 4G services, we aim to provide more options and an enhanced experience to our users. We are committed to systematically expanding our 5G footprint across Maharashtra, in line with growing demand and 5G handset adoption.”
To strengthen its network in Maharashtra, Vi has partnered with Ericsson to deploy energy-efficient infrastructure and has implemented AI-powered Self-Organizing Networks (SON) for automatic optimization of performance. In parallel, the operator has upgraded its 4G network in Maharashtra and Goa, deploying 900 MHz spectrum on more than 7,900 sites and adding 2100 MHz capacity across 7,000 sites since March 2024. Vi has also set up over 2,100 new sites in 2,200 towns to improve coverage.
The company said these upgrades underline its commitment to deliver consistent and high-quality connectivity across both urban and rural areas.
