Indian communications solutions provider Bharti Airtel has announced that it has awarded its first 5G contract in India to Ericsson, with deployments to begin in August 2022.
Ericsson is Airtel’s long-term connectivity partner and pan-India managed service provider for over 25 years covering every generation of mobile communications. The latest 5G partnership comes after India’s 5G spectrum auction ended.
Gopal Vittal, CEO of Airtel, said: “As our trusted long-term technology partner, we are delighted to award our first 5G contract to Ericsson for the deployment of 5G in India. The socio-economic development of India offers a game-changing opportunity. Through our 5G network, we aim to deliver the full benefits of 5G connectivity, propel India’s journey towards a digital economy and strengthen the country’s position on the world stage.”
Airtel will deploy energy-efficient 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) products and solutions from Ericsson Radio Systems and Ericsson Microwave Mobile Transport Solutions. Ericsson will provide Bharti Airtel with 5G connectivity in 12 regions (geographical regions of India).
In addition to enhancing the user experience for Airtel customers, spanning ultra-high speed, low latency and big data processing capabilities, Ericsson 5G network products and solutions will enable Bharti Airtel to pursue new and innovative use cases with its enterprise and industry customers.
Borje Ekholm, President and CEO of Ericsson, said: “We look forward to supporting Bharti Airtel’s deployment of 5G in India. With Ericsson’s unparalleled global 5G deployment experience, we will help Bharti Airtel deliver the full benefits of 5G to Indian consumers and businesses while bringing Bharti Airtel The network evolves seamlessly from 4G to 5G. 5G will enable India to realize its Digital India vision and promote inclusive development in the country.”
With 125 live networks in 55 countries to date, around 50% of global 5G traffic now travels through Ericsson’s radio network, Ericsson is at the forefront of global 5G.
