Vodafone Idea (Vi), a telecom firm, has surrendered fractional spectrum in certain circles in the 900MHz and 1800MHz bands since the airwaves couldn't support its most recent network technologies.

According to a Vi representative, VIL has chosen to extend the necessary spectrum in the circles of West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh (West), releasing just the fractional spectrum that is now not needed because it cannot be used with the modern technology.

This year, the spectrum was up for renewal.

In a separate announcement, VIL informed investors that it has finished the minimum rollout need for 5G services in four telecom circles and that it aims to reach 40% of the population coverage with 5G in the first 24 to 30 months.

According to firm CEO Akshaya Moondra, Vodafone Idea (Vi) intends to have greater clarity around the monetization of the next-generation mobile broadband service by the time it launches 5G services, which is expected to happen in six to seven months after funding.

During Vi's fiscal third quarter results conference on Tuesday, Moondra stated that the cash-strapped telecom intends to completely decommission its 3G network in FY25 and reclaim its airwaves in the 2100 MHz band for 4G, which will increase total network capacity.

In response to a decline in 3G devices on its network, Vodaphone Idea has already discontinued 3G services in Mumbai, Kolkata, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra for the third quarter of its fiscal year. It also plans to gradually phase down the service in other circles.