Phones like the Redmi A4 5G and the recently introduced Poco C75 5G won’t support Vi’s 5G network, as these devices only support SA 5G.
Vodafone Idea (Vi), the third-biggest telecom operator in the country, Tuesday officially confirmed the launch of its 5G services in select circles. Vi joins the 5G race in the country after almost one and a half years since Airtel and Jio started offering 5G services.
“We have successfully rolled out 5G services in accordance with Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) guidelines. A full-scale launch to all users is part of our roadmap, and we will share more details at an appropriate time,” Vi wrote in a post on X.
While the company hasn’t specified the details of this soft rollout, a report by TelecomTalk indicates that Vi has begun offering its 5G network in 17 licensed service areas (LSAs), and the network is said to have deployed on 3.3 GHz and 26 GHz (N258) spectrum for both prepaid and postpaid users. The report also highlights that Vi’s 5G network is only available for prepaid users who are on the Rs 475 monthly recharge plan, and postpaid users need to be on the REDX 1101 plan to access 5G services.
Vi’s 5G service is only available at select locations and it’s not a broader rollout. It is said to be active in some of the major cities and states, such as Mumbai, West Bengal, Chennai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Gujarat, and more.
Vi’s 5G network is based on non-standalone (NSA) technology, where the company has upgraded the existing infrastructure to deliver 5G services, similar to Airtel, as it is more cost-effective when compared to deploying a standalone (SA) 5G network that Jio has deployed. This also means phones like the Redmi A4 5G and the recently introduced Poco C75 5G won’t support Vi’s 5G network, as these devices only support SA 5G.
With inputs from The Indian Express
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
