Vodafone India, a 2G and 3G operator, has indicated that it could launch 4G LTE services in 5 telecom circles such as Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Karnataka and Kerala – where it acquired 5 blocks of spectrum in the 1800 MHz band.
“We have retained our existing spectrum in the three metros and significantly enhanced our data capabilities by buying 4G spectrum for the next generation of mobile services in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Karnataka and Kerala. These circles make up over 50 percent of our current data revenues and we expect them to be at the forefront of 4G adoption as they were for 3G. In Mumbai, we are able to provide both 2G and 3G on 900MHz,” said Vodafone India CEO Marten Pieters.
The telecom operator did not specify time lines for the 4G launch. Vodafone will compete with the Mukesh Ambani-promoted Reliance Jio Infocomm which will have TD-LTE presence in 22 telecom circles.
Airtel recently said it crossed 1 lakh mark in the TD-LTE space.
Vodafone has spent a total of approximately Rs 19,600 crore in this auction of which around Rs 5,600 crore will be payable in this financial year.
Vodafone Mumbai is the only operator in India to have data capabilities on all the commercial spectrum bands: 3G on 900MHz and 2100MHz and 4G on 1800MHz.
The government has received bids worth over Rs 60,000 crore from the telecom spectrum auction which ended on 10th day on Thursday. The auction for 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands saw strong contest for the radiowaves among eight telecom companies, with the bidding stretching to 68 rounds.
The bid value of the spectrum in the two bands, used for offering 2G services, has reached around 90 per cent of the money that the government had received in the3G spectrum auction in 2010, which fetched Rs 67,718.95 crore.
The government will now get at least Rs 18,273 crore in the current fiscal ending on March 31 in case companies opt for installment mode.
