Calcutta, May 13: Private telecom operator Idea Cellular will invest Rs 380 crore in 2015-16 to expand its network capacity in Bengal.

The Aditya Birla Group company is also looking to launch its own 3G services in the city in the third quarter of the fiscal.

The investment in the Calcutta and Bengal circles is part of the company's Rs 5,500-crore capital expenditure plan to expand and upgrade its network and IT infrastructure.

"We are looking to invest Rs 380 crore in both Calcutta and Bengal circles during the year," said Anish Roy, chief operating officer (east), Idea Cellular.

So far, the company has invested Rs 2,059 crore, which includes investments made in obtaining the 2100 MHz spectrum in Calcutta to launch 3G services, Roy said.

He said the company would add 1,200 2G sites across Bengal and around 2,000 3G sites, starting with Calcutta.

At present, the company operates through 6,000 towers in the state.

Idea is already offering 3G services in the city through an intra-circle roaming arrangement with Vodafone, which the company said would be phased out gradually as it develops its own network.

The telecom service provider in 2014-15 added 4.8 lakh subscribers in Calcutta and 12.8 lakh subscribers in Bengal and now has a combined subscriber base of 63 lakh in the region.

"We faced a setback in 2012 when our licences were cancelled in seven circles, including Calcutta, Bengal, Odisha, Northeast and Assam. But Idea successfully bid in the same year and won back the spectrum in all circles and ensured business continuity," said Lakshminarayana, chief operating officer (corporate), Idea Cellular.

"Calcutta will be the second metro after Delhi where the company will set up its own 3G services. The company has also acquired the 1800 MHz band to launch 4G LTE in Odisha and Northeast circles," said Rajat Mukarji, chief corporate affairs officer, Idea Cellular.

However, the company is yet to decide on a time line to launch its 4G services.