Aircel, India’s leading mobile operator (part of Maxis Communications Berhad, Malaysia), has awarded Ericsson a contract to roll out a 3G/HSPA network across six out of its 13 circles or geographic market areas. These six circles currently serve more than 100 million subscribers and Ericsson will be Aircel?s largest partner for 3G implementation. Aircel will offer its customers services such as video telephony, mobile broadband, mobile TV, video on demand and others including music downloads, video tones, instant messaging and online gaming.

For many people, broadband has changed from being ?nice to have? to being an absolute necessity in modern-day life ? for conducting business, managing a household or as a means of entertainment. Likewise, the mobile phone has become one of the main tools for nearly 5 billion people in the world to communicate. Along with mobile broadband, it enables whole new ways of keeping in touch, accessing services and working on the move.

Sandip Das, CEO of Maxis says, “Ericsson and Maxis, have a long history of infrastructure partnership starting up from 2G through to 3G and possibly future technologies, across our subsidiaries and allied companies operating in Malaysia, India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. We respect them and look forward to their continued support to our group’s commitment to providing quality networks and advanced services to our customers”.

Hans Vestberg, President & CEO, Ericsson says, “Maxis group and Aircel is a preferred partner for us. We greatly value our strategic association and the India 3G agreement further reinforces this partnership”.

Gurdeep Singh, COO of Aircel says: ?For many people in India connected for the first time, 3G mobile broadband will bring completely new types of services and benefits. We are confident that with this partnership, we will benefit from Ericsson?s global expertise of 3G deployments, and will be able to offer our customers a world-class 3G experience.

Gowton Achaibar, head of Ericsson India, says: ?We are extremely excited to partner with Aircel for the implementation of its 3G network. We foresee 3G brings economic advantages and increased social interaction in the country. With the advent of 3G, the mobile phone will not just be about convenience and satisfying a basic need for communication; it will also provide access to services such as healthcare, education and information, supporting people?s livelihoods.?

Under the agreement with Aircel, Ericsson will provide core, radio and transmission network equipment as well as related services such as network rollout, network technology and consulting, radio network optimization and support services. The mobile broadband network will include the latest multi-standard radio base station, RBS6000, and the MSC Server Blade Cluster, which will drastically boost the capacity of the network and evolve it into an IP network. The framework contract will be implemented from 2010 to 2012. Deliveries and deployment are underway. Aircel and Ericsson made the first successful 3G call last week in Chennai and Coimbatore.

The six Aircel circles Ericsson provides 3G technology in are: Tamil Nadu Bihar; Orissa; Jammu Kashmir; North East; and Assam.