- Airtel to commence 5G network deployment in India starting this month.
- The telecom company has signed 5G network agreements with Ericsson, Nokia and Samsung for the deployment.
- Airtel has bid for and acquired 19867.8MHZ spectrum in 900MHz, 1800MHz, 2100MHz, 3300MHz, and 26GHz frequencies in the spectrum auction.
The 5G spectrum mega auction has been completed and the telecom networks are expected to launch the 5G network before the end of this year. The telecom minister has assured the approval and allotment of the spectrum will be done shortly. Amidst this, Airtel has announced that it has signed 5G network agreements with Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung to commence 5G deployment this month i.e. August 2022. This means we can probably expect Airtel to make fast movements with regards to the 5G rollout.
This isn’t surprising considering Airtel has a long-standing relationship for connectivity and managed services with Ericsson and Nokia while the partnership with Samsung will begin this year onwards.
Airtel announces partnership with Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung
Airtel has announced that it will be partnering with Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung to commence 5G deployment in August 2022. This comes just days after the spectrum auctions have ended, where Airtel has bid for and acquired 19867.8MHZ spectrum in 900MHz, 1800MHz, 2100MHz, 3300MHz, and 26GHz frequencies. The telecom network says that multiple partners will enable Airtel to roll out 5G services with ultra-high speeds, low latency, and large data handling capabilities.
This will enable a superior user experience and allow the “pursuit of new, innovative use cases with enterprise and industry customers.” This multi-year deal will see Nokia provide equipment from its market-leading AirScale portfolio along with solutions and services for network management, deployment, planning, and optimisation services to ensure the best end-user experiences.
While South Korean giant, Samsung will help Airtel deploy its 5G network. This is the first time that both companies will work together. These should help Airtel speed up the rollout of the 5G network across the country.
Gopal Vittal, MD and CEO, Airtel said, “We are delighted to announce that Airtel will commence roll out of 5G services in August. Our network agreements are finalized and Airtel will work with the best technology partners from across the world to deliver the full benefits of 5G connectivity to our consumers. India’s transition into a digital economy will be led by telecom and 5G presents a game-changing opportunity to drive the digital transformation of industries, enterprises and the socio-economic development of India.“
