Operators

Vi and BSNL start talks on infrastructure and spectrum sharing

Vi and BSNL start talks on infrastructure and spectrum sharing

Vodafone Idea (Vi) and state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) have reportedly kicked off discussions on ways to share infrastructure and spectrum as a way to save costs and potentially speed up 5G rollouts for both operators.

According to a report from Livemint on Friday, Department of Telecommunications (DoT) secretary Amit Agrawal told the parliamentary committee on communications and information technology last week that Vi and BSNL have started talks on possible sharing of towers, fibre and spectrum as both telcos struggle with capex costs and uneven network strength across regions.

The committee said it was open to the idea, saying that telecoms towers used by the government directly or indirectly should avoid duplication of infrastructure, which wastes capex, the report said.

The Indian government currently owns 48.99% of Vodafone Idea after increasing its stake in March 2025 to help alleviate the telco’s financial burdens.

The committee also noted that sharing infrastructure and spectrum assets “could expand service reach, optimise resource use, reduce expenditure, increase connectivity and accelerate 5G rollout,” the report added.

The committee instructed the DoT to prepare and submit a detailed analysis of an infrastructure sharing plan – including a timeline and estimated financial savings – within six months the report said,

Vi joined the 5G race late, launching services in August 2025 in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, with rollouts spreading ever since. BSNL has yet to launch 5G, having only launched 4G services last year after unveiling the domestically developed Bharat Telecom Stack it’s required to use to roll out 4G.

News of infrastructure-sharing talks with BSNL comes after Vi said in January it plans to invest INR450 billion (about US$4.9 billion) in capex over the next three years to accelerate network upgrades, achieve 5G parity in key markets and drive a turnaround in performance.

The telco announced the plan a few weeks after it secured another financial lifeline from the government, which agreed to freeze its adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues for the period from FY 2006–07 to FY 2018–19 from 31 December 2025, which effectively gives Vi until March 2041 to pay off its AGR dues.



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