Nokia has been awarded a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar extension deal by operator Bharti Airtel to deploy 4G and 5G equipment across key Indian cities and states.
Nokia will deploy equipment from its 5G AirScale portfolio, including base stations, baseband units and the latest generation of massive MIMO radios, all powered by its energy-efficient ReefShark system-on-chip technology. These solutions, says Nokia, will enhance Airtel’s network with exceptional 5G capacity and coverage and support its network evolution. Furthermore, Nokia says it will modernise Airtel's existing 4G network with multiband radios and baseband equipment, which can also support 5G.
Airtel will also be leveraging Nokia's MantaRay network management for intelligent network monitoring and management that uses AI-based tools covering digital deployment, optimisation and technical support.
Gopal Vittal, Vice Chairman and MD, Bharti Airtel, says: “This strategic partnership with Nokia will future-proof our network infrastructure and provide customers with unparalleled user experience along with a network that will be eco-friendly to minimise environmental impact.”
Nokia says it has collaborated with Airtel for over two decades, providing 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G network equipment. Their partnership includes the launch of the Green 5G Initiative, aimed at improving the energy efficiency of Airtel's network and reducing carbon emissions, in line with the company’s ambitious emission reduction targets.
Upgrades and rollouts in India are proving lucrative for Nokia this year. In September we reported another billion-dollar network contract win in India for Nokia. In this case it agreed to modernise and expand Vodafone Idea’s 4G network – to include 5G upgrades – over the next three years.
