Bharti Airtel selects Nokia Siemens Network to manage 4G in Maharashtra

Bharti Airtel has confirmed that it has chosen Nokia Siemens Networks to build and manage its TD-LTE network (TD-LTE is a 4G mobile broadband technology) in Maharashtra. The TD-LTE technology assists in delivering faster Internet access and also supports video streaming and high-definition video conferencing. Commercial TD-LTE services will be launched, later this year, enabling Bharti Airtel subscribers in Maharashtra with improved and consistent network coverage and faster response times. Bharti Airtel employs the TD-LTE network in the 2.3GHz frequency band that has been allocated by Indian government for broadband wireless access (BWA) technologies.

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Nokia Siemens Networks will help deliver the TD-LTE network and end-user data devices, which offer data speeds of up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps), as stated by 3GPP. The company will be using its newly introduced and industry’s first TD-LTE 6 pipes radio. Compared to the previous traditional approach, new integrated solution aim at reducing total cost and site space. Nokia Siemens Networks has been providing TD-LTE solution to commercial customers in Russia, Brazil and Saudi Arabia.

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Sanjay Kapoor, CEO Bharti Airtel (India & South Asia) said, “In the next five years, data will be the main thrust in India, riding on the waves of 3G or 4G technologies. As per industry estimates, mobile data traffic in the country will increase nearly 100-fold by 2015 and consumers will stream nearly 600 hours of video content - every second, thus paving way for the ensuing data revolution! LTE provides ultra high speed data access, in conjunction with 3G, this will lead the data revolution and drive fundamental changes in individual lifestyles, businesses and the society at large. We look forward to the advent of 4G technology which will be launched in India at the same time, as the rest of the world.”

Nokia Siemens Networks has the NetAct operations support system to monitor, manage and optimize Airtel’s GSM and TD-LTE networks. Nokia Siemens Networks’ network design, integration, commissioning and optimization services will help rapid roll-out of the network and also care services, such as hardware, software and competence development services. 

Nokia Siemens Networks is said to be one of the first companies to demonstrate TD-LTE on 2.3 GHz BWA spectrum in India at its Bengaluru R&D facility in October 2010. In India, the fixed broadband penetration is below 1 percent, so operators are focusing at complementing 3G with TD-LTE.