Updated 9 June 2025 at 13:37 IST
Airtel's Multi-Year Ericsson Deal: What Does This Partnership Mean for India's 5G Users
Here is what the Airtel-Ericsson multi-year deal means for us as common Airtel users.
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Airtel's Multi-Year Ericsson Deal: What Does This Partnership Mean for India's 5G Users | Image:
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Leading telecom company Bharti Airtel has entered into a multi-year agreement with Swedish company Ericsson to run its complete network operations, a key step that is expected to change the face of 5G connectivity in India and make it smarter, faster, and more dependable. This is not simply a change in the back end and should not be mistaken as a mere discussion of profit and loss within the four walls of the meeting room. The Airtel-Ericsson multi-year deal is huge- it is a complete transfer of Airtel's entire mobile infrastructure to the Swedish telecom gear maker. This includes everything from 4G and 5G to home internet and private networks.
What Does Airtel's Multi-Year Ericsson Deal Mean?
A multi-year agreement or deal means a contract or partnership that continues for more than one year. The Airtel-Ericsson deal means that Ericsson will run a centralised Network Operations Center (NOC) that keeps an eye on and controls Airtel's network all over the country in real time. What is the goal? Fewer dropped calls, faster data, improved uptime, and a smarter, AI-powered method to run things.
The two companies will work together to boost the 5G network performance, monitor faults in the network and improve the overall network infrastructure. Commenting on the deal, Airtel's Chief Technology Officer Randeep Sekhon said, “We are excited to enhance our strong collaboration with Ericsson as we pursue our goal of creating a future-ready network that delivers an exceptional experience for our customers. We believe that these innovative technologies will empower us to meet the growing data demands of consumers in a digitally connected India.”
What’s In It for Common People Like Us
The newly signed deal between Airtel and Ericsson will bring some key changes for us as phone users. It is about improving service for the typical Airtel consumer. Ericsson's use of AI and automation will help the network find problems before they hit a user’s phone. It is like giving your phone network some brains. With the power of AI, it will learn, change and fix problems faster.
In simple words, it should mean: Better 5G performance, especially in busy places, fewer dropped calls and connection problems, faster rollout of 5G to more cities and rural areas, better service during busy events like matches or festivals. Airtel is spending a lot on services like Fixed Wireless Access (which gives you broadband over 5G) and private 5G networks for companies. This contract is expected to make such services more stable and powerful.
Published 9 June 2025 at 13:24 IST