Addressing a press conference in Chennai, Sai Venkataraman, Circle Business head – Tamil Nadu, said that the company would add around 3000 new sites in the state and expand network layers to improve coverage and capacity. Investment per site is estimated between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 25 Lakh depending on the infrastructure requirements.
He said that network upgrades over the past two years had improved customer experience, with population coverage now at 96.6 per cent. Indoor connectivity was being strengthened through expanded 900MHz spectrum deployment and additional capacity layers, he added.
The 5G services have been rolled out in Chennai with 450 sites already live. The company aims to cover nearly 70 per cent of the city in the next two to three months. By May, 5G services would be extended to Trichy, Salem, Tiruppur, Vellore and the Union Territory of Pondicherry, Venkataraman said.
The company is also expanding its retail and distribution network. It currently operates 51 stores in Tamil Nadu and has added 40 mini stores over the last two years. Its presence spans around 36,000 outlets, supported by 460 distributors. Digital adoption is increasing with about 70 per cent of recharges now happening online. Tamil Nadu remains a key market, with a subscriber base of around 1.46 crore. “The company has reported positive net additions in recent months and is targeting further growth as network quality improves,” he said.
“We are seeing a strong momentum in Tamil Nadu after the investments made over the last two years. This will accelerate further with the 5G rollout,” Venkataraman, said.
As part of its brand push, Vodafone has partnered with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as its official communication partner for the next three years.
