Vi has completed the process of refarming of 3G spectrum to 4G on a majority of its sites in Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Solapur, Kolhapur, Goa, Jalgaon, Nanded, Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad, Amravati, Ahmednagar, Akola, Bhiwandi, Ulhasnagar, Vasai, an exercise that will substantially enhance the GIGAnet 4G capacity in these cities. This is part of a bigger exercise undertaken by the company to migrate its 3G spectrum to 4G across the Maharashtra and Goa telecom circle. The reinforcement of its existing 4G infrastructure with 5 MHz of 900 MHZ and 2100 MHz band in these cities, means that Vi customers in Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Solapur, Kolhapur, Goa, Jalgaon, Nanded, Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad, Amravati, Ahmednagar, Akola, Bhiwandi, Ulhasnagar, Vasai, will get to enjoy higher download and upload speeds apart from better indoor coverage.
The existing 4G infrastructure has been ramped up with the migration of 3G spectrum to 4G, giving Vi GIGAnet 4G the triple advantages of wider coverage, network quality as well as stronger traffic carriage capacity in Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Solapur, Kolhapur, Goa, Jalgaon, Nanded, Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad, Amravati, Ahmednagar, Akola, Bhiwandi, Ulhasnagar, Vasai. The highest deployment of the most efficient 900 MHz band spectrum in the state ensures better voice clarity and indoor experience for customers. Vi also holds the largest quantum of spectrum in Maharashtra, across 900, 1800, 2100, 2300 and 2500 bands.
Vi customers can enjoy a better 4G experience when they use a 4G SIM in a 4G handset. Vi 3G customers can upgrade to a 4G SIM-free of cost and harness the full potential of Vi GIGAnet.
Commenting on the development, Puneet Krishnan, Cluster Business Head- Maharashtra & Goa, Vodafone Idea said “The latest network augmentation initiative is our endeavour to offer our customers an enhanced 4G experience to complement the surge in data demand. Supplementing the existing 4G infrastructure with the expansion on 900 as well as 2100 MHz layers and largest deployment of the most efficient 900 MHz spectrum in Maharashtra & Goa has brought about enhanced data speeds, besides a better indoor network experience for Vi customers in some of the key cities in Maharashtra and Goa. We have seen significant growth in data traffic in these cities post the completion of the 3G to 4G refarming exercise. Efforts are on to complete this exercise in the rest of Maharashtra at an early date”.
The past year has brought about massive changes in consumer behaviour. While data demand has grown manifold, telecom networks have become the mandatory layer to exist in a digital society. This has drawn focus on the criticality of 24×7 high-speed mobile network connectivity across both- commercial as well as residential areas. The latest 3G to 4G spectrum refarming exercise gives Vi the edge of optimum availability and utilisation of spectrum to serve the needs of tech-savvy individual customers as well as Enterprises in Maharashtra and Goa.
