Vodafone Idea (Vi) has been installing 100 towers every hour following the successful completion of its follow-on public offering (FPO) earlier this year. In the second quarter of FY 2024-25, the telco added around 42,000 4G sites, marking its largest-ever quarterly increase in 4G infrastructure. As part of its revival efforts, Vi raised equity funding of ₹24,000 crore, including ₹18,000 crore through the FPO.
“Following the successful FPO earlier this year, the company has been swiftly expanding its network, deploying new infrastructure, and achieving an incredible milestone of adding 100 towers every hour,” said Vodafone Idea in a press release.
In its second-quarter results for FY 2024-25, Vi announced plans to allocate ₹10,000 crore for capital expenditure during the fiscal year to enhance network capacity, improve quality, and minimize subscriber churn. In October 2024, the company secured a $3.6 billion (approximately ₹30,000 crore) contract for 4G modernization and 5G deployment. The agreement with Ericsson, and Samsung spans three years and aims to strengthen Vi’s 4G infrastructure while rolling out 5G services in key cities across 17 priority circles.
During the quarter, Vi’s Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) for mobile customers (excluding machine-to-machine connections) rose 7.8% quarter-over-quarter, increasing from ₹154 in the April-June quarter to ₹166. However, after a tariff hike, Vi saw a decline in its overall subscriber base and its 4G subscriber base. The total subscriber base fell to 20.5 crore from 21 crore, while the 4G subscriber base dropped from 12.67 crore to 12.59 crore on a quarter-over-quarter basis.
“Adding 100 towers every hour reflects our commitment to providing robust connectivity and ensuring people stay connected with their loved ones, even in the most remote areas. This small step goes a long way,” stated Avneesh Khosla, Chief Marketing Officer of Vi.
