Vodafone Idea (Vi), the third-largest telecom company in India, is said to be gearing up for the launch of its 5G network. As reported by The New Indian Express, the telecom provider is tying up with banks to secure funding, and the negotiations are said to be in the final stage.
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According to a senior official from the Department of Telecommunication (DoT), the company is likely to secure funding by June and will also launch its 5G network in the same month. It is also said that the company has already cleared the licensing fee for the third quarter and has even made partial payment for the fourth quarter. The official also stated that Vi’s entry into the 5G space will prevent a duopoly, which is good for consumers.
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Another report suggests that Finnish company Nokia is in talks with Vi to supply 5G networking equipment, which is already a supplier for Airtel and Jio.
Currently, both Jio and Airtel offer 5G networks in all major cities across the country. While Jio is offering standalone 5G technology (SA), Airtel has opted for non-standalone 5G technology (NSA). It is currently unclear whether Vodafone Idea will opt for SA or NSA-backed 5G technology.
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While SA definitely has a competitive advantage over NSA 5G technology and offers lower latency along with higher download and upload speeds, NSA is easier to implement, and it can make use of existing 4G networking hardware, which reduces the cost of deployment when compared to SA.
