Bharti Airtel has expanded its partnership with Ericsson to strengthen its fixed wireless access (FWA) services in India. Under the new agreement, Ericsson will provide its core network solutions to support Airtel’s FWA rollout. This collaboration aims to boost Airtel’s core network capacity and capabilities, thereby improving the user experience for FWA customers.
As part of this agreement, Ericsson is introducing a new platform which will support high capacity FWA with a smaller footprint and better total cost of ownership. The solution builds on the previously announced dual-mode 5G Core solution deal between Ericsson and Airtel for 5G packet core which created a unified and future-ready network infrastructure.
Commenting on the collaboration, Randeep Sekhon, chief technology officer (CTO), Bharti Airtel, said, “Ericsson’s innovative Packet Core deployment architecture represents a foundational enhancement, enabling critical improvements in network quality and reliability. This strategic implementation is specifically designed to accommodate rapidly increasing customer data requirements, ensuring robust performance and seamless connectivity even under peak demand. This rollout is another step in the sustained success of our collaboration with Ericsson, demonstrating our collective capability to leverage cutting-edge technology for elevated overall customer experience.”
Meanwhile, Andres Vicente, head of market area southeast asia, Oceania and India, Ericsson said, “We are proud to continue our technology leadership journey with Airtel by enabling their next wave of 5G monetization through FWA. Ericsson’s Local Packet Gateway (LPG) is designed to deliver high performance with efficiency and scale, making it ideal for driving Airtel’s 5G FWA ambitions. This collaboration is not just about advanced technology – it is about enabling inclusive digital transformation and bridging the digital divide in the country.”
