NEW DELHI: Telecom service provider Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL) announced on Monday that it has been adding 100 towers per hour following the successful completion of its follow-on public offer (FPO) earlier this year. India's third-largest telecom operator added approximately 42,000 4G sites in the second quarter of FY 2024-25, marking the largest-ever quarterly addition of 4G sites by the company. As part of its revival plan, VIL raised equity funding of Rs 24,000 crore, including Rs 18,000 crore from the FPO.
“Post the successful FPO earlier this year, the company has been rapidly expanding its network, rolling out new infrastructure, and has achieved a remarkable milestone of adding 100 towers every hour," said Vodafone Idea in a press note.
In its second-quarter results for FY 2024-25, the company revealed plans to invest around Rs 10,000 crore in capital expenditure during the current fiscal year to boost network capacity, improve quality, and reduce subscriber churn. In October 2024, VIL secured a $3.6 billion (approximately Rs 30,000 crore) contract for 4G modernization and 5G rollout with Nokia, Ericsson, and Samsung, which will span three years. The operator aims to strengthen its 4G infrastructure and roll out 5G networks across key cities in its 17 priority circles.
During the quarter, the company's mobile customer Average Revenue Per User (ARPU), excluding machine-to-machine connections, increased by 7.8% quarter-over-quarter, rising from Rs 154 in the April-June period to Rs 166. However, following a tariff hike, VIL's overall subscriber base, as well as its 4G subscriber base, declined. The company's total subscriber base dropped to 20.5 crore from 21 crore, while its 4G subscriber base decreased from 12.67 crore to 12.59 crore on a quarter-on-quarter basis. “Adding 100 towers every hour is a testament to our commitment to bringing robust connectivity to ensure that people remain connected and come together for their loved ones in little ways that go a long way,” said Avneesh Khosla, CMO, Vi.