Telecom operator Vodafone Idea (Vi) on Thursday announced the launch of its 5G services in Kolkata, making it the second city in West Bengal to access the company’s next-generation connectivity after Siliguri.
The rollout is part of Vi’s broader 5G expansion strategy across its 17 priority circles, where it holds 5G spectrum. The company has already introduced services in major cities including Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Bangalore, Pune, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Siliguri.
Vi users in Kolkata with 5G-enabled smartphones will be able to access the service starting Friday. As an introductory offer, the company is providing unlimited 5G data on recharge plans beginning at Rs 299. The service is expected to support high-definition streaming, gaming, video conferencing, faster downloads and real-time cloud access.
“As we launch Vi 5G in Kolkata, we are excited to bring the future of connectivity to this City of Joy. With our next-gen 5G alongside our robust 4G services, we aim to provide more options and an enhanced experience to our users. We are committed to systematically expanding our 5G footprint across West Bengal, in line with growing demand and 5G handset adoption,” said Sovan Mukherjee, Business Head – Kolkata and Rest of Bengal, Vodafone Idea.
To strengthen its 5G presence in Kolkata, Vi has partnered with Nokia to deploy advanced, energy-efficient infrastructure, including AI-powered Self-Organizing Networks (SON) for automatic optimization of network performance.
Alongside its 5G rollout, the company said it has significantly upgraded its 4G network in both Kolkata and the Rest of Bengal circles. This includes the deployment of 900 MHz spectrum on more than 2,400 sites in Kolkata and 5,400 sites in the Rest of Bengal circle, as well as the installation of over 850 new sites across the region. These upgrades, carried out between April 2024 and June 2025, have increased capacity by 16% in Kolkata and 15% in the Rest of Bengal, Vi said.
Vodafone Idea, a joint venture between the Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone Group, holds a large spectrum portfolio including mid-band 5G spectrum in 17 circles and mmWave spectrum in 16 circles.
The rollout is part of Vi’s broader 5G expansion strategy across its 17 priority circles, where it holds 5G spectrum. The company has already introduced services in major cities including Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Bangalore, Pune, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Siliguri.
Vi users in Kolkata with 5G-enabled smartphones will be able to access the service starting Friday. As an introductory offer, the company is providing unlimited 5G data on recharge plans beginning at Rs 299. The service is expected to support high-definition streaming, gaming, video conferencing, faster downloads and real-time cloud access.
“As we launch Vi 5G in Kolkata, we are excited to bring the future of connectivity to this City of Joy. With our next-gen 5G alongside our robust 4G services, we aim to provide more options and an enhanced experience to our users. We are committed to systematically expanding our 5G footprint across West Bengal, in line with growing demand and 5G handset adoption,” said Sovan Mukherjee, Business Head – Kolkata and Rest of Bengal, Vodafone Idea.
To strengthen its 5G presence in Kolkata, Vi has partnered with Nokia to deploy advanced, energy-efficient infrastructure, including AI-powered Self-Organizing Networks (SON) for automatic optimization of network performance.
Alongside its 5G rollout, the company said it has significantly upgraded its 4G network in both Kolkata and the Rest of Bengal circles. This includes the deployment of 900 MHz spectrum on more than 2,400 sites in Kolkata and 5,400 sites in the Rest of Bengal circle, as well as the installation of over 850 new sites across the region. These upgrades, carried out between April 2024 and June 2025, have increased capacity by 16% in Kolkata and 15% in the Rest of Bengal, Vi said.
Vodafone Idea, a joint venture between the Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone Group, holds a large spectrum portfolio including mid-band 5G spectrum in 17 circles and mmWave spectrum in 16 circles.
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