Indian telecommunications company
Vodafone Idea or Vi (stylised as V!) is an Indian mobile network operator with its headquarters based in Mumbai and Gandhinagar.[8][9] It is an all-India integrated GSM operator offering 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE Advanced, VoLTE, and VoWiFi service.[10] As of 31 September 2023, Vi has a subscriber base of 219.8 million,[11] making it third largest mobile telecommunications network in India and 11th largest mobile telecommunications network in the world.[12] 'Vodafone Idea Limited' was created on 31 August 2018 by the merger of Vodafone India and Idea Cellular. In 2020, the two separate brands Vodafone and Idea rebranded as Vi. [13][14][15]
History
In March 2017, it was announced that Vodafone India and Idea Cellular would merge.
The merger got approval from the Department of Telecommunications in July 2018. On 30 August 2018, National Company Law Tribunal gave the final nod to the Vodafone-Idea merger[16] It was completed on 31 August 2018, and the new entity was named Vodafone Idea Limited.[17][18][12] Under the terms of the deal, the Vodafone Group held a 45.2% stake in the combined entity, the Aditya Birla Group held 26% and the remaining shares were to be held by the public.[12]
Vi lost a significant number of gross and active subscribers in the month of August 2020.[19]
Until 7 September 2020, Vodafone Idea Limited operated two separate brands:[20] Vodafone and Idea who both operated pre-paid and post-paid GSM service.[21][22]
On 3 February 2023, the Government of India ordered the company to convert its interest dues worth 161.33 billion Indian Rupees ($1.96 billion) to equity at the rate of 10 rupees per share face value (well over then market value ~8.5), thus making the government the single biggest shareholder in the company.[23]
Network
Spectrum frequency holding summary
Vi owns spectrum in 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3500 MHz and 26 GHz bands across the country.[24]
This table contains Vi (Vodafone & Idea) radio frequency details because they had integrated their networks with each other and using one anchor network for both brands in all respective telecom circles. For example, Idea has started 4G services in Delhi and Kolkata telecom circle from May 2018 where the Vodafone is anchor network vice versa Vodafone has Started 4G services in Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh, Bihar & Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh & Telangana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir telecom Circle's where Idea is Anchor network.[25][26]
Network consolidation
By March 2019, Vi announced its network consolidation across major circles, easing network issues faced by consumers and also enhancing its 4G coverage. Announcements of Network Consolidation were made as below:
Enhanced Unified (2G, 3G, and 4G) coverage details
| State
|
No of Towns Covered
|
No of Villages Covered
|
Coverage area %/km
|
| Haryana[27]
|
145
|
6520
|
99.5%
|
| ROWB[28]
|
878
|
37585
|
97%
|
| Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh[29]
|
664
|
53130
|
60%
|
| Jammu and Kashmir[30]
|
110
|
3301
|
|
| AP & Telangana[31]
|
391
|
19700
|
92.5%
|
| Bihar & Jharkhand[32]
|
431
|
43503
|
79%
|
| HP[33]
|
59
|
11929
|
|
| NESA & Assam[34]
|
439
|
17850
|
41%
|
Enhanced LTE (4G) coverage details
| State
|
No of Towns Covered
|
No of districts Covered
|
No of Villages Covered
|
Population %
|
| Haryana[27]
|
137
|
22
|
|
76.08%
|
| ROWB[28]
|
838
|
27
|
|
78%
|
| Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh[29]
|
633
|
77
|
|
52%
|
| Jammu and Kashmir[30]
|
48
|
9
|
526
|
23.6%
|
| AP & Telangana[31]
|
381
|
23
|
8500
|
67%
|
| Bihar & Jharkhand[32]
|
343
|
56
|
19931
|
45.3%
|
| HP[33]
|
45
|
8
|
6082
|
43%
|
| NESA & Assam[34]
|
340
|
83
|
4200
|
70%
|
| Punjab[35]
|
227
|
24
|
10162
|
90%
|
Vi Movies & TV
As of September 2023, Vi Movies & TV app is currently available for Vi subscribers on Android (above Android 5.1) and iOS devices (10.0 and above versions).[36]
₹42,488 crore (US$5.3 billion)[5] (2023)
₹−29,301 crore (US$−3.7 billion)[5] (2023)
