Swedish telecommunications giant Ericsson announces a significant contract extension with Indian carrier Bharti Airtel. This multi-year deal involves the deployment of both 4G and 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) products and solutions. This collaboration aims for a transformative revamp of Airtel’s network, enhancing coverage and capacity.
Ericsson will integrate centralized RAN and Open RAN-ready solutions into Airtel’s infrastructure. This initiative is expected to create a more efficient network, delivering better speed, reliability, and coverage for Airtel’s customers. Additionally, Ericsson will upgrade existing 4G radios with new software enhancements to boost the user experience.
Randeep Sekhon, CTO at Bharti Airtel, emphasized the impact of this deployment, stating, “This deployment will enable us to further improve the speed, reliability, and coverage of our network, ensuring an exceptional experience for our customers.”
The strategic extension underlines the shared vision between both parties aimed at establishing a robust 4G and 5G infrastructure. Andres Vicente, head of Ericsson Southeast Asia, Oceania, and India, expressed the mutual goal of supporting emerging new 5G use cases.
Recent media reports have indicated that Ericsson secured a notable multi-billion-dollar deal with Airtel for 5G equipment. This could significantly enhance Ericsson’s revenue outlook for 2025. The Indian market had previously witnessed a decline in contracts for Ericsson during the first half of the year.
Meanwhile, Finnish competitor Nokia also announced a multi-year extension with Airtel. This deal involves deploying 4G and 5G equipment across key Indian regions. Nokia’s offerings include base stations and the latest Massive MIMO radios powered by ReefShark System-on-Chip. These solutions are designed to extend Airtel’s 5G network capacity and coverage, while also modernizing existing 4G infrastructure.
The initiatives underline a broader push for energy-efficient networks. Nokia and Airtel continue their collaboration on the ‘Green 5G Initiative’, focusing on increasing energy efficiency and lowering carbon emissions.
