Accordingly the company's Chief Technology Officer Vishant Vora said the network integration process of Vodafone Idea is on track and expected to complete by June 2020. Meanwhile when speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Vora said that already the 'Radio' network integration has completed in nine circles covering 481 million (48.1 crore) of the country's population.
Vodafone Idea said in a statement "Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, MP (Madhya Pradesh) and Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Jharkhand, RoWB (West Bengal excluding Kolkata), Assam, NESA (North East), and AP (Andhra Pradesh) and Telangana become the first nine circles to successfully consolidate network in the world's largest network integration exercise". Furthermore it said the nine circles "constitute 48% of India's landmass and population of 481 million".
Moreover Vora also said that "36% of the total spectrum (1850 MHz) is consolidated for both the brands." Reportedly on 5G spectrum auctions, the official said that the auctions should not be held before 2020 as the industry needs time to develop India specific used cases and the required infrastructure. Ericsson said under the contract, which has been signed for a three year period, Ericsson would supply radio access and transport equipment from its "5G-ready Ericsson Radio System portfolio, including 'MINI-LINK' 6000 microwave backhaul solution".
