NEW DELHI — Telecommunications giant Ericsson on Wednesday said it has been
awarded a multi-billion, 4G and 5G extension deal by Bharti Airtel for its
India operations.
As part of the multi-year deal for 4G and 5G RAN products
and solutions, Ericsson will deploy centralised RAN and Open RAN-ready
solutions for network transformation, which will help customers with wider
coverage and the enhanced capacity on the network.
Ericsson will also undertake the software upgrade of its
current deployed 4G radios thereby enhancing the customer experience, it said
in a statement.
“This deployment will enable us to further improve the
speed, reliability, and coverage of our network, ensuring an exceptional experience
for our customers,” said Randeep Sekhon, CTO, Bharti Airtel.
As a global leader in 5G, Ericsson currently powers 170
live 5G networks in more than 70 countries. The company has been a trusted
connectivity partner for Airtel for over 25 years, supporting every generation
of mobile communications.
Andres Vicente, Head of Ericsson South-east Asia, Oceania
and India, said that 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.”
This partnership also underscores Ericsson and Airtel's
shared commitment to building an advanced digital ecosystem in India.
According to the latest Ericsson Mobility report, 5G
subscriptions in India are projected to reach around 970 million by the end of
2030, accounting for 74 per cent of mobile subscriptions.
The 5G subscription are projected to reach over 270
million by the end of this year, accounting for 23 per cent of the total mobile
subscriptions in the region, according to the report, adding that India has the
highest average monthly usage per smartphone at 32 GB, which is expected to
grow to 66 GB by 2030.
India has made large-scale mid-band deployments and is
expected to reach around 95 per cent population coverage by the end of 2024.
