What it is and how it will benefit – India TV

Nokia has a major 5G contract with Bharti Airtel: Nokia, a Finnish telecom giant, is reportedly in talks with Bharti Airtel to secure a multi-billion dollar contract to supply 5G telecom equipment to the Indian mobile operator. According to the three sources who are familiar with the matter, this new deal will come as Bharti Airtel continues to expand its 5G network across the country.

Ericsson has already closed a multi-billion dollar deal

Talks with Nokia come after Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson earlier won a similar multi-billion dollar contract with Bharti Airtel. According to a recent Reuters report, Airtel’s competitors like Vodafone Idea (Vi) and Reliance Jio have already invested heavily to upgrade their networks in the country and it is the world’s second largest smartphone market.

Nokia’s latest AirScale mobile radio technology for Airtel

Sources revealed that the potential deal would involve Nokia’s latest AirScale mobile radios, which support upgrading existing networks to 5G-Advanced while helping to reduce power consumption.

This would be a critical move as telcos will look for energy efficient solutions along with increasing network capacity.

At the time of writing, the deal is said to be in the development phase. However, one of the sources will describe the talks as a “routine and ongoing arrangement” between the network provider partners.

Nokia is yet to comment on the issue and Bharti Airtel is yet to respond to requests for comments.

Nokia sales down in India

Nokia reported an 18 percent drop in net sales during the second quarter, which was largely due to a slowdown in demand in India after a surge in growth last year. Despite the slowdown, securing this deal with Airtel could provide a much-needed boost to Nokia in the region.

The Excitel Cable Cutter plan has been designed for heavy internet users and for a long validity period. It offers 300Mbps speed and free OTT subscriptions, and if you recharge for 12 months at a time, the plan will cost you less than Rs.500.

As Diwali and Chhatt trips continue, the Vikalp Scheme could be the solution for those who are still waiting to secure a seat on their desired trip.