Nokia Networks bags G contract from Bharti Airtel

Will provide advanced radio platform and services as Bharti Airtel enhances its 3G network in Mumbai, West Bengal and Bihar

Deal marks Indias first dual band, dual carrier 3G implementation

New Delhi, India - Nokia Networks today announced that it has bagged a 3G contract from Bharti Airtel that will help Airtel enhance its 3G network in the Mumbai, West Bengal and Bihar telecom circles* using Nokias latest Single RAN (radio access network) Advanced platform. The deal includes an India-first dual band, dual carrier 3G network implementation, refarming 900 MHz to complement Mumbais existing 3G network on 2100 MHz. This will enable higher throughput and thus improved 3G services for Bharti Airtels customers.

Abhay Savargaonkar, Director Network Services Group, Bharti Airtel said, As a brand committed to enrich lives, we continue to offer innovative data services like One Touch Internet, Re 1 entertainment store et al empowering millions across the country to leverage the power of mobile internet on our smartphone network. The association with Nokia is in line with this and will enable millions of customers to experience an enhanced 3G network in these circles.

With Indian subscribers increasingly looking for high-speed mobile broadband services, 3G is a very important technology option that operators in India need to embrace to fulfill the demands of their subscribers, said Rohan Dhamija, Partner and Head of India and South Asia, Analysys Mason. Expanding 3G networks as in this deal, and upgrading the existing 2G networks to 3G across the country by operators will allow subscribers to enjoy rich multi-media applications and services such as their favorite movies, online games, and sports like cricket without buffering on their mobile screen. Ubiquitous 3G network coverage in India means availability of high-speed broadband services to subscribers and increased revenue for operators.

This deal bolsters our long-term partnership with Bharti Airtel, and we are committed to helping the operator provide further improved mobile broadband experience for its customers, said Sandeep Girotra, Vice President and Head of India region, Nokia Networks. While Nokias Single RAN Advanced platform will ensure a reliable 3G mobile broadband connectivity, our comprehensive services will ensure smooth deployment.

Under the contract, Nokia Networks will supply its Single RAN Advanced platform, based on its energy-efficient Flexi Multiradio 10 Base Station**. This multi-standard radio platform is optimal because it will also support Bharti Airtel in its TD-LTE rollout and pave the way to FDD-LTE in the near future. In addition, Nokia Networks will deploy its Flexi Lite Base Station, a small all-in-one base station optimized for indoor and outdoor micro-cell deployments to provide the best coverage in densely crowded areas. Nokia will also supply its extremely compact, highly scalable and flexible multi-technology, all-IP multicontroller RNC (mcRNC).

Nokias NetAct network management system will enable effective monitoring and management of Bharti Airtels networks. Nokia Networks will also provide a range of services such as network planning and optimization, network implementation, network operations, and care services including hardware and software maintenance as well as competence development.

Click here to download a Nokia Networks network operations picture. Click here to download a picture of Nokia Networks Flexi Multiradio 10 Base Station.

For more information on Nokias mobile broadband capabilities, including a video overview, follow this link. To share your thoughts on the topic, join the discussion with @nokianetworks on Twitter using #mobilebroadband and #LTE. For expert insights, visit our blog.

About Bharti Airtel

Bharti Airtel Limited is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, the company ranks amongst the top 4 mobile service providers globally in terms of subscribers. In India, the companys product offerings include 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services, mobile commerce, fixed line services, high speed DSL broadband, IPTV, DTH, enterprise services including national & international long distance services to carriers. In the rest of the geographies, it offers 2G, 3G wireless services and mobile commerce. Bharti Airtel had over 303 million customers across its operations at the end of September 2014. To know more please visit, www.airtel.com.

About Nokia

Nokia invests in technologies important in a world where billions of devices are connected. We are focused on three businesses: network infrastructure software, hardware and services, which we offer through Nokia Networks; location intelligence, which we provide through HERE; and advanced technology development and licensing, which we pursue through Nokia Technologies. Each of these businesses is a leader in its respective field.

Nokia Networks is the worlds specialist in mobile broadband. From the first ever call on GSM, to the first call on LTE, we operate at the forefront of each generation of mobile technology. Our global experts invent the new capabilities our customers need in their networks. We provide the worlds most efficient mobile networks, the intelligence to maximize the value of those networks, and the services to make it all work seamlessly. www.networks.nokia.com // http://company.nokia.com

Media Enquiries

Nokia Networks

Subhagata Mukherjee

Media Relations

Phone: 91 9810413703

E-mail: subhagata.mukherjee@nsn.com

Media Relations

Phone: 358 7140 02869

E-mail: mediarelations@nsn.com

Notes:

* Indias telecommunications market is divided into 22 sub-regions, also referred to as circles.

** The Nokia Flexi Multiradio 10 Base Station has recently been ranked a leader in capacity and deployment flexibility in analyst company Curr

LINK:	http://company.nokia.com/en/news/press-releases/2014/11/13/nokia-netwo...
	See more stories from nokia

Most recent headlines