Vi Teases Arrival of 5G Network in Select Locations in Pune and Delhi

Vi has teased the launch of its 5G network in India via its website. Over a year after rivals Airtel and Jio began to roll out their 5G network services in the country, the beleaguered telecom operator has revealed that 5G connectivity is coming to some locations in two cities in India. Vi recently claimed it achieved peak speeds of over 3.7Gbps on the high-speed millimetre-wave (mmWave) spectrum band on government-allocated spectrum and could launch its 5G network services in the country soon.

The telecom operator’s website was recently updated to suggest the imminent arrival of 5G connectivity in the country. “Get ready to experience the potential of the Vi 5G network in India with 5G live at select places in Pune and Delhi, the website states. There’s no word from the operator on when and where 5G connectivity will be available in these cities.

The telecom operator’s website indicates 5G could soon be rolled out in two cities
Photo Credit: Screenshot/ Vi

Customers will require a 5G ready SIM in order to be able to connect to the 5G network, according to Vi’s website. Earlier this year, Vi published a blog post explaining that its 4G SIM cards are 5G ready, which means that as long as a user has a 5G-capable smartphone, they should be able to access the company’s 5G network when it is rolled out. The telecom operator also stated that it will provide 5G ready SIM cards at Vi stores.

Earlier this year, Vi announced that it had achieved peak speeds of 3.7Gbps on the mmWave spectrum band, while download speeds on the 3.5GHz spectrum band were as high as 1.5Gbps. The mmWave test was conducted in Pune, while the sub-6GHz spectrum band tests were performed in Pune and in Gandhinagar.

Vi already lags behind both Airtel and Jio, the country’s leading telecom operators that have already rolled out 5G network connectivity across several cities and towns in the country. Airtel’s ‘5G Plus’ and Jio’s ‘True 5G’ networks are reportedly available in over 10,000 cities in total. Both the leading telecom operators are currently offering unlimited access to 5G networks for subscribers with active plans, while they continue the process of rolling out their networks in the country.