Jagbir Singh, Chief Technology Officer, Vodafone Idea Limited
The year 2024 has been an important one for Vodafone Idea Limited (Vi). A successful follow-on public offer (FPO), significant capacity addition and network modernisation have been the major highlights of the year for the company. The operator is now all set to make its 5G debut. The strategy is to roll out 5G networks in priority circles where adoption is likely to be more rapid. In an interview with tele.net, Jagbir Singh, Chief Technology Officer, Vi, talked about the company’s current focus areas and future plans. He also shared his views on the evolving telecom landscape, the key challenges and emerging growth drivers. Edited excerpts…
How has the telecom landscape in India evolved over the years? What, according to you, have been the biggest successes and disappointments?
The Indian telecom sector has evolved into a very competitive landscape, driven by innovation and a growing subscriber base. The widespread adoption of mobile telephony and affordable internet access have been its crowning achievements.
Today, India ranks second in global mobile broadband usage, thanks to cost-effective data plans and the mass proliferation of smartphones. With a wireless subscriber base of over 1.15 billion as of November 2024 and average monthly data usage surging from 61.66 MB in 2014 to an astounding 21.1 GB (21,100 MB) in the second quarter of FY 2025, the sector’s success is clear.
The government’s focus on policies promoting privatisation and local manufacturing under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, as well as initiatives like BharatNet have played an important role in driving rural connectivity and investment. However, challenges relating to monetisation, spectrum availability and universal digital inclusion remain.
Going ahead, 5G and indigenous technologies under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative will play a pivotal role in shaping the next phase of growth. Further, bridging the digital divide and fostering equitable growth will continue to be the major areas of focus.
What were Vi’s business highlights for 2024? What initiatives are being taken for network modernisation?
The year 2024 marked a major milestone for Vi with its FPO, India’s largest, raising Rs 180 billion in April and underscoring confidence in Vi’s vision. Subsequently, we undertook significant network expansion, adding 46,000 new sites during the year and enhancing capacity at over 58,000 sites to ensure superior connectivity, transforming customers’ experience of indoor connectivity and delivering seamless connectivity in diverse environments.
Notably, Vi ranked as the top 4G network nationwide in Opensignal’s November 2024 report, leading in all six experience categories. This means Vi’s 4G users not only enjoy the fastest 4G speeds but also experience an overall superior quality of experience for everything they do online, whether it is watching videos, live streaming, playing online games or voice app calling.
Now, as we get ready for our 5G roll-out, we have partnered with global vendors such as Ericsson, Nokia and Samsung to supercharge our network, with plans to add thousands of new sites by March 2025.
How do you assess India’s progress on 5G so far? What is Vi’s strategy and preparedness for the roll-out?
The introduction of 5G in India is a major stride towards realising the Digital India vision. However, challenges relating to infrastructure, monetisation, use cases, spectrum availability, device compatibility and cybersecurity persist. Nevertheless, its roll-out, which has been among the fastest across the world, has paved the way for enhancing connectivity and enabling industrial innovation.
Vi is poised for a strong 5G debut. We have competitive spectrum holdings in 17 priority circles and are working with leading technology providers to ensure a future-ready network that prioritises both customer experience and efficiency. Our immediate focus remains on key cities where 5G adoption is likely to gain better traction.
How will the introduction of 5G services impact your 4G user base?
While 5G offers transformative potential, 4G remains the cornerstone of mobile connectivity today. With its extensive reach, affordability and ability to meet everyday consumer needs, 4G continues to serve as the backbone of India’s telecom network. 4G’s coverage will continue to be important, especially in rural and semi-urban areas. The shift to 5G will depend on how the technology matures and devices become more accessible. In that sense, it will mirror the natural evolution from 3G to 4G that we have already seen.
What are your views on 5G monetisation in India? What are the challenges and what use cases hold the most potential?
5G monetisation is a complex challenge not only in India but also globally due to the high infrastructure costs, price-sensitive consumers and limited compelling use cases. Sectors such as telemedicine, internet of things-driven smart cities, augmented reality/virtual reality applications in gaming and education, and fixed wireless access offer tremendous growth potential. By focusing on these innovative areas, 5G can unlock new revenue streams and revolutionise the digital landscape.
How has the role of fibre evolved in core, backhaul and access networks? What is the status of Vi’s current fibre deployments and future requirements?
With 4G and 5G network expansions, the role of fibre and transport backhaul networks has evolved significantly to meet the increasing data demand with low-latency application requirements.
The transport network has transitioned from traditional network technologies to modern internet protocol/multiprotocol label switching (IP/MPLS)-based architecture to support high bandwidth requirements (600G/800G) for mobility and enterprise services. The growing adoption of edge computing and cloud architecture has further reinforced the role of fibre and transport networks in delivering high-performance, resilient networks.
Vi has over 300,000 km of fibre and plans to deploy over 50,000 km of optical fibre network as part of the network expansion plan. It is increasing its IP/MPLS network penetration to enhance the customer experience across the top 300 cities in the first phase. In addition, it is doubling its capacity to meet the growing mobility and enterprise bandwidth demands.
These initiatives will enable us to deliver ultra-low-latency, high-capacity services and a reliable experience to our end customers.
What is your outlook for Open RAN deployments? What are the benefits and challenges?
Open radio access networks (RAN) offer a flexible, cost-effective approach to network expansion, promoting vendor diversity and innovation. However, challenges such as standardisation and scaling for large networks remain significant. Addressing these is crucial to unlock Open RAN’s potential and its adoption.
Open RAN has long been recognised for providing vendor diversity and innovation. This holds true at its core as well. However, it has not been able to stand the test of time and provide the large-scale capabilities needed for the Indian network. We have carried out extensive in-depth analyses/pilots, and we find that it is not yet efficient in terms of the total cost of ownership (TCO) for Indian markets.
With time, we do believe that the Open RAN segment will mature and provide the solutions at the right TCO points for broader adoption. If not with 5G, it will hopefully play a significant role with 6G.
Do you have a policy or regulatory wish list?
A collaborative regulatory framework that fosters innovation and inclusivity is crucial. We advocate for technology-neutral policies, regulatory sandboxes to test innovations, and equitable revenue-sharing mechanisms between over-the-top players and operators. Collaboration between the public and private sectors for research and development, alignment of global standards, and robust skill development initiatives are essential to drive growth and maintain competitiveness.
Going forward, what will be Vi’s priorities for network expansion and modernisation? What new technologies are you exploring?
Vi’s focus over the next two to three years will centre on expanding 4G coverage and capacity, scaling 5G deployments in priority circles, and integrating artificial intelligence (AI)-driven automation for network optimisation. Strategic partnerships with global technology leaders will continue to shape our modernisation efforts, ensuring a future-ready infrastructure. In addition, upgrading and scaling core and transport networks to support business growth are focus areas.
Which are the three key technology trends that will shape the future of Indian telecom?
India’s telecom future will be defined by a superior broadband experience using 4G/5G technology, AI adoption, and its integration in planning, design and operation to provide cost efficiency and an enhanced customer experience.
AI will be integrated more deeply into telecom software natively. We expect to see the availability of intelligent, autonomous and efficient decision-making software to make best use of the available capacity or efficiencies of the network. 5G and AI integration promise unparalleled connectivity, enhanced customer experiences and better operational efficiency. Additionally, the growing emphasis on cybersecurity and digital inclusion will ensure sustainable growth, positioning India as a leader in the global digital economy. We must focus on the cloudification of network and IT infrastructure to drive cost efficiency, a better user experience and faster roll-outs.
