Vodafone Idea (d/b/a Vi, pronounced ) is an Indian telecommunications company headquartered in Gandhinagar. It is an all-India integrated GSM operator offering mobile telephony services.
As of July, 2026, Vi has a subscriber base of 198.82 million, making it third largest mobile telecommunications network in India and 12th largest mobile telecommunications network in the world.
Vodafone Idea was created on 31 August 2018 by the merger of Vodafone India and Idea Cellular. On 20 September 2020, the two separate brands Vodafone India and Idea Cellular rebranded as Vodafone Idea (Vi).
History In March 2017, it was announced that Vodafone India and Idea Cellular would merge. The merger was approved by the Department of Telecommunications in July 2018. On 30 August 2018, National Company Law Tribunal approved the Vodafone-Idea merger. It was completed on 31 August 2018, and the new entity was named Vodafone Idea. Under the terms of the deal, 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.
Vodafone Idea lost a significant number of gross and active subscribers in the month of August 2020.
Until 7 September 2020, Vodafone Idea operated two separate brands: Vodafone India and Idea Cellular who both operated pre-paid and post-paid GSM service.
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.
In March 2025, the Government of India further raised its stake to 48.99% by acquiring additional shares worth ₹36,950 crore ($4.5 billion).
Network
Spectrum frequency holding summary Vodafone Idea owns spectrum in 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3500 MHz and 26 GHz bands across India. Telecom circle coverage E-GSM/ LTE-FDD900 MHzBand 8 GSM / LTE-FDD1800 MHzBand 3 UMTS / LTE-FDD2100 MHzBand 1 LTE-FDD2300 MHzBand 40 TD-LTE2500 MHzBand 41 NR-TDD3500 MHzBand n78 NR-TDD26 GHzBand n258Delhi Mumbai Kolkata Andhra Pradesh & Telangana Gujarat Karnataka Maharashtra & Goa Tamil Nadu Haryana Kerala Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh Punjab Rajasthan Uttar Pradesh (East) Uttar Pradesh (West) West Bengal Assam Bihar & Jharkhand Himachal Pradesh Jammu and Kashmir & Ladakh North East Odisha
This table contains 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. In March 2025, Vodafone Idea (Vi) launched its 5G services in Mumbai.
Network consolidation By March 2019, Vodafone Idea 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 CoveredNo of Villages CoveredCoverage area %/kmHaryana145652099.5%ROWB8783758597%Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh6645313060%Jammu and Kashmir1103301AP & Telangana3911970092.5%Bihar & Jharkhand4314350379%HP5911929 NESA & Assam4391785041%
Enhanced (4G) coverage details State No of Towns CoveredNo of districts CoveredNo of Villages CoveredPopulation %Haryana1372276.08%ROWB8382778%Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh6337752%Jammu and Kashmir48952623.6%AP & Telangana38123850067%Bihar & Jharkhand343561993145.3%HP458608243% NESA & Assam34083420070% Punjab227241016290%
Over The Top (OTT) Vi Movies & TV formerly known as (Vodafone Play and Idea Movies & TV) it was launched in 2016 it is currently available for Vi subscribers on Android (5.1 and above versions) and IOS (10.0 and above versions).
See also
American Tower Belvedere Towers metro station List of mobile network operators You Broadband
References
External links