Bharti Airtel has announced a significant enhancement to its long-standing partnership with Ericsson, as the two companies collaborate to deploy Ericsson's 5G Core network technology across India. This new agreement positions Airtel to transition smoothly to a full-scale 5G Standalone network, which is expected to provide advanced 5G capabilities to millions of customers and enterprises throughout the country.
With this partnership, Airtel aims to take substantial steps toward modernizing its network infrastructure, fortifying its services with high-performance features enabled by Ericsson's technical expertise. The collaboration incorporates various solutions, including packet core, signaling, charging, and policy management.
Randeep Sekhon, CTO of Bharti Airtel, expressed his enthusiasm about this evolution: "Ericsson's enduring partnership with Airtel has entered an exciting new phase, marked by the deployment of Ericsson's 5G Core solutions to support Airtel's transition to 5G Standalone. This rollout will play a pivotal role in Airtel's long-term 5G strategy, boosting network capacity and enabling the delivery of innovative, differentiated services to customers." This reflects Airtel's commitment to providing future-proof technologies and enhancing customer experience.
Andres Vicente, who heads the Market Area for Southeast Asia, Oceania, and India at Ericsson, also underscored the importance of this deployment: "This deployment is a significant step toward making Bharti Airtel's network 5G Standalone ready and future-proof. Ericsson’s dual-mode 5G core enables monetization through network slicing-based services and network API exposure, unleashing new, innovative use cases for consumers and enterprises." This indicates the partnership's broader goal of leveraging advanced technologies to create new business opportunities.
Part of the strategic move involves the deployment of Ericsson’s Signaling Controller solution, which will be integrated within Bharti Airtel’s network framework. Alongside this, Ericsson's 5G Standalone-enabled Charging and Policy solutions will be introduced—elements which are expected to bolster Airtel's monetization strategies and pave the way for advanced business models.
For over 25 years, Ericsson has served as a key connectivity partner to Bharti Airtel, providing solutions across every mobile communication generation. This latest agreement marks another pivotal moment and strengthens their relationship, initially rooted when Ericsson awarded Bharti Airtel with its first 5G contract, setting the stage for India's foray toward enhanced mobile technology.
Airtel is not only the largest integrated communications solutions provider in India, but it also stands among the top three mobile operators globally, boasting over 550 million customers across various regions, including South Africa and parts of Asia. The deal is viewed not only as beneficial for Airtel’s growth but also for contributing to India's overarching digital transformation.
This partnership arrives at a time when Airtel's performance has garnered attention. Recently, the company reported substantial gains, posting nearly 461% increases in its consolidated net profits, reflecting its efforts to capitalize on the growing demand for high-speed mobile services, especially amid the rapid shift to digital platforms due to changing consumer behaviors.
These developments showcase Airtel's commitment as it focuses on building out its network to support future innovations, from enhanced consumer services to enterprise solutions. The ambitious plans underline not just the resilience of traditional telecom players but also the potential for dynamic growth through strategic alliances.
Analysts predict significant revenue potential from this collaboration, as core network contracts provide high margins compared to traditional radio access equipment. The integration of 5G technology, particularly the ability to create network slices, facilitates the development of customized solutions, allowing Airtel to offer specialized services catering to diverse business needs.
Such technological support places Bharti Airtel at the forefront of India's fast-evolving telecommunications market. The strategic enhancements from Ericsson's multi-faceted solutions will serve as the backbone for Airtel's ambitions to refine its service offerings, potentially unlocking new avenues for revenue and innovation.
With both companies committed to advancing mobile communication, their collaboration is expected to yield significant benefits, not only for their operations but also for consumers seeking advanced, reliable digital experiences.