Bharti Airtel , one of India's leading telecommunications companies, has announced a significant expansion of its partnership with Nokia to enhance its 5G network capabilities and accelerate the rollout of advanced services to customers.

Expanded Collaboration for 5G Innovation

The collaboration between Bharti Airtel and Nokia focuses on deploying Nokia's cutting-edge Packet Core appliance-based and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) solutions. This strategic move aims to provide a superior network experience for Airtel's growing 4G and 5G customer base across India.

Key Aspects of the Partnership

• Integration of 4G and 5G Technologies: The deployment will seamlessly integrate 5G and 4G technologies into a single set of servers, optimizing network performance and efficiency.
• Enhanced Fixed Wireless Access: Nokia's FWA solution will boost capacities for home broadband and enterprise-critical application services, expanding Airtel's service offerings.
• Automation Framework: Airtel will leverage Nokia's automation framework to achieve zero-touch service launch and efficient lifecycle management for core network functions.
• 5G Standalone Readiness: The use of Nokia's converged Packet Core solution prepares Airtel for 5G standalone (SA) capabilities, simplifying network architecture and reducing operational costs.
• Multi-Year Deal: The rollout covers network automation across the majority of Airtel's service regions in India.

Benefits for Airtel and Its Customers

Improved Network Quality

The deployment architecture enables critical changes to enhance network quality and reliability.

Cost Optimization

Airtel aims to reduce its cost per bit by utilizing appliance-based Packet Core gateways while maintaining cloud-native architecture for other network elements.

Faster Service Delivery

The collaboration is expected to speed up the delivery of new 5G services to customers.

Enhanced Customer Experience

The overall improvements are designed to significantly strengthen the Airtel customer experience.

Executive Insights

Randeep Sekhon, CTO of Airtel, commented on the collaboration: "Nokia's innovative Packet Core deployment architecture enables critical changes to our network quality and reliability for meeting the fast-rising growth in customer data requirements."

Raghav Sahgal, President of Cloud and Network Services at Nokia, added: "Nokia and Airtel have a long-standing partnership and we are pleased to bolster its 5G SA readiness. Airtel's use of Nokia's Packet Core to build greater network agility and reliability demonstrates how we are both helping customers solve problems and furthering Nokia's leadership position in the Core space in India and around the world."

Broader Implications

This expanded partnership between Bharti Airtel and Nokia signifies a major step forward in India's 5G journey. As one of the largest telecom operators in the country, Airtel's enhanced capabilities are likely to have a significant impact on the broader telecommunications landscape, potentially accelerating 5G adoption and improving digital connectivity across India.

The collaboration also highlights the increasing importance of network automation and AI-driven solutions in modern telecom infrastructure, as evidenced by the integration of GenAI for service orchestration and assurance.

As Bharti Airtel continues to evolve its network capabilities, customers can expect improved service quality, faster data speeds, and a wider range of innovative 5G-enabled services in the near future.

Bharti Airtel , one of India's leading telecommunications service providers, has made significant strides in enhancing its infrastructure and financial position. The company has successfully landed the 2Africa Pearls submarine cable in India, marking a crucial development in telecommunications infrastructure. This move is expected to substantially improve internet connectivity and data transmission capabilities in the region.

Submarine Cable Landing: A Game-Changer for Connectivity

The landing of the 2Africa Pearls submarine cable is a major milestone for Bharti Airtel. This infrastructure development is poised to:

• Enhance internet speeds and reliability for Airtel's customers
• Improve data transmission capabilities across the region
• Strengthen India's position in the global digital landscape

Financial Prudence: Debt Reduction and Cost Optimization

In addition to its infrastructure investments, Bharti Airtel has taken significant steps to improve its financial position:

Prepayment of High-Cost Spectrum Liabilities

• Airtel and its subsidiary, Bharti Hexacom Ltd., have prepaid an additional Rs. 5,985.00 crore to the Department of Telecom.
• This prepayment fully clears the high-cost interest liabilities of 8.65% pertaining to the 2024 spectrum auctions.
• The company has now prepaid a total of Rs. 25,981.00 crore of high-cost spectrum liabilities for the current 2025 fiscal year.
• Cumulatively, Airtel has prepaid spectrum liabilities of Rs. 66,665.00 crore to date.

Redemption of Perpetual Debt Securities

• Airtel's subsidiary, Network i2i Ltd., has voluntarily called and redeemed $1.00 billion in Perpetual Notes.
• These notes, issued in FY 2020, carried an interest rate of 5.65%.

Impact on Financial Position

The strategic financial moves by Bharti Airtel have resulted in:

• Lowering the average interest rate on spectrum liabilities to approximately 7.22% on the residual Rs. 52,000.00 crore (excluding AGR liabilities).
• Extending the repayment profile of remaining spectrum liabilities until FY 2042.
• Clearing Rs. 116,405.00 crore of scheduled instalments that would have been payable over the original tenure of the liabilities.

Looking Ahead

These developments showcase Bharti Airtel's commitment to enhancing its network infrastructure while maintaining financial prudence. The landing of the 2Africa Pearls submarine cable, coupled with the company's debt reduction strategies, positions Airtel strongly in the competitive telecommunications market.

As the company continues to invest in cutting-edge technology and optimize its financial structure, customers can expect improved services and potentially more competitive pricing in the future. These moves also strengthen Airtel's capacity to invest in emerging technologies like 5G, further solidifying its market position.