Vodafone invested Rs 450 crore in Bihar, Rajasthan & Jharkhand in FY15

NEW DELHI: Vodafone India, the country’s second-largest GSM service provider, has invested Rs 450 crore in Rajasthan and Bihar & Jharkhand telecom circles in the year ended March 31 to expand its cellular network and bolster retail and distribution presence.

The Indian unit of the UK’s Vodafone Group Plc has invested Rs 250 crore in Bihar & Jharkhand telecom circle, and Rs 200 crore in Rajasthan, the company said in separate statements on Tuesday.

Vodafone added more than 1,250 new cell sites across Bihar & Jharkhand telecom circle last fiscal. It now has over 8,700 2G sites in the circle, covering 33,500 towns and villages, or over 79% of the region’s population. It also increased the number of exclusive retail outlets in the circle to more than 415.

In Rajasthan, the telecom major launched 59 brand outlets last fiscal to take its stores count to 670, which it claims is the largest among mobile operator. Vodafone claims it now covers 90% population of the state.

The mobile major had recently revealed last fiscal’s investments in several circles, including Mumbai where it spent Rs 1,000 crore. Vodafone also invested Rs 661.33 crore in the Kolkata and Rest of Bengal circle, Rs 480 crore investment in Uttar Pradesh East and Rs 150 crore in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana circle.