Bharti Airtel and Ericsson have expanded their long-standing partnership with a new collaboration to deploy Ericsson's 5G Core network solutions in India. This move will accelerate Airtel's transition to a full-scale 5G Standalone (SA) network, enhancing connectivity for millions of customers and enterprises, Bharti Airtel announced on February 25.
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Airtel's 5G Monetisation Strategy
Ericsson's dual-mode 5G Core will enable Airtel to boost network capacity, support network slicing, and introduce new monetisation opportunities through API exposure. As part of the agreement, Ericsson will also deploy its Signaling Controller and 5G SA-enabled Charging and Policy solutions to strengthen Airtel's 5G monetisation strategy.
CTO of Bharti Airtel said: "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."
The Head of Market Area Southeast Asia, Oceania and India, Ericsson, added: "This deployment is a significant step towards making Bharti Airtel's network 5G Standalone ready and future proof. Ericsson's dual-mode 5G core enables monetisation through network slicing-based services and network API exposure, unleashing new, innovative use cases for consumers and enterprises."
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25 Years of Partnership
In a joint statement, the companies said: "Ericsson is a longstanding Bharti Airtel connectivity partner with a close relationship spanning more than 25 years and covering every generation of mobile communications, including the award of Bharti Airtel's first 5G contract in India."
