Bharti Airtel has awarded Ericsson a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar extension deal for 4G and 5G radio access network (RAN) products and solutions, the company said in a stock exchange filing on Wednesday.
The agreement mirrors a similar deal Airtel announced last month with Nokia.
The renewed partnership with Ericsson focuses on enhancing network capacity and coverage, particularly in metropolitan areas where data consumption is surging due to widespread adoption of 5G smartphones.
The deal will also support Airtel’s plans to roll out a standalone 5G architecture (SA) network, enabling fixed wireless access broadband services across India, sources said.
Under the agreement, Ericsson will deploy centralised and Open RAN-ready solutions, upgrade existing 4G radios with new software, and improve network speed, reliability, and coverage.
“This strategic partnership with Ericsson underscores our commitment to network excellence,” said Randeep Sekhon, CTO of Bharti Airtel. “It will help deliver a superior experience for our customers with enhanced speed, reliability, and coverage.”
Andres Vicente, head of Ericsson for Southeast Asia, Oceania, and India, highlighted the shared vision to strengthen 4G and 5G infrastructure. “This extension will not only address current connectivity needs but also cater to emerging 5G use cases,” Vicente said.
