Ericsson bags multi-year 4G & 5G extension deal from Bharti Airtel for its India operations
Digital Edge Bureau 04 Dec, 2024 0 comment(s)(L-R): Randeep Sekhon, CTO, Bharti Airtel; and Andres Vicente, Head of Ericsson South-East Asia, Oceania & India
Ericsson, the Swedish telecom equipment and the related software provider, has won a multi-billion and multi-year extension deal from Bharti Airtel for 4G and 5G RAN products and solutions.
As per the new contract, Ericsson will deploy centralized RAN (radio access network) and Open RAN-ready solutions for network transformation which will help customers with wider coverage and enhanced capacity on the network. Ericsson will also undertake the software upgradation of its current deployed 4G radios, thereby, enhancing the customer experience.
Ericsson has been a trusted connectivity partner for Airtel for over 25 years, supporting every generation of mobile communications. This strategic partnership underscores Ericsson and Airtel’s shared commitment to building an advanced digital ecosystem in India.
“The strategic partnership with Ericsson to deploy the latest technology is a testament to Airtel’s pursuit of network excellence. This deployment will enable us to further improve the speed, reliability, and coverage of our network, ensuring an exceptional experience for our customers,” says Randeep Sekhon, CTO, Bharti Airtel.
Andres Vicente, Head of Ericsson South-East Asia, Oceania & India, comments, “This partnership extension reflects our shared vision to build a robust 4G and 5G infrastructure for Bharti Airtel to serve the connectivity needs of its customer base – including the new 5G use cases as they emerge. We will work closely with Bharti Airtel to deliver great user experiences for their customers.”
As a leading player in the realm of 5G, Ericsson currently powers 170 live 5G networks in more than 70 countries. Ericsson’s technology leadership is deeply appreciated by independent analysts such as Frost Radar 5G Network Infrastructure Market 2024, where Ericsson was ranked as the leader for the fourth consecutive year. Ericsson has also been positioned as a leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for 5G for the fourth year in a row.