Following the 5G spectrum auction, attention has been focused on the three major telecom players—Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea—and their strategies for launching the new service.
As it turns out, Airtel and Jio were among the first to announce that they were prepared to roll out 5G services as early as August. To offer improved 5G service, Airtel has partnered with a number of major telecom equipment manufacturers. Jio is, of course, no pushover; it is also preparing for the 5G war.
What about Vodafone Idea (Vi), the third participant in the competition? For Rs 18,799 crore, the financially precarious company acquired mmWave (5G) spectrum (26 GHz band) in 16 circles and mid band (5G) spectrum (3300 MHz band) in 17 priority circles. Market analysts and the media were both waiting for Vi to make a statement regarding its 5G rollout plans.
Can Vi compete in the 5G ring?
According to the “India Mobile Network Experience Report – April 2022” by Opensignal, the independent global standard in measuring consumer mobile experience, Vi is “the fastest 4G network in India,” according to a statement released today.
According to Vi, Opensignal evaluated Indian mobile phone consumers’ 90-day 4G network experiences between December 1, 2021, and February 28, 2022. Data speed and experience across 22 telecom circles in cities were analysed for the report.
“Our users on Vi’s network, on average, had the fastest download speeds of 13.6 Mbps and quickest upload speeds of 4.9 Mbps,” said Hardik Khatri, a technical analyst with Opensignal.
According to reports, Vi is ranked first for download speeds in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh (East & West), Kolkata, West Bengal, Assam, and the North East, among other markets.
Across 14 areas, including Gujarat, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh (East & West), Haryana, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kolkata, West Bengal, Orissa, Assam, North East, and Jammu & Kashmir, Vi also claimed the top spot for upload speeds.
The most recent validation from Opensignal, according to Vi’s Chief Marketing Officer Avneesh Khosla, “is an acknowledgment of our efforts to consistently work towards improving customer experience through outstanding network performance.”
It is perfectly acceptable to stake a claim to the 4G arena’s bragging rights. But will Vi be prepared if the fight moves to a 5G stadium? Has it made preparations for the fiercest war, which is anticipated to cause havoc in the Indian telecom sector? Your hunch is as good as ours, I suppose.
