New Delhi
Nokia has been awarded a three-year contract by Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL) to deploy 4G and 5G equipment in India. The companies will work together to implement a 5G network in major cities, alongside modernizing VIL’s existing 4G network. This agreement is expected to enhance connectivity for 200 million VIL customers.
Nokia will use its 5G AirScale technology, which includes base stations and advanced Massive MIMO radios. These components are designed for efficient deployment and will improve both capacity and coverage for the 5G network. The modernization of VIL’s 4G network will involve multiband radios and baseband equipment that also support 5G.
This partnership continues a collaboration that has lasted over 30 years. A recent deal worth $3.6 billion was concluded with Nokia, Ericsson, and Samsung for network equipment supply over three years. This is part of a broader plan involving a $6.6 billion investment aimed at expanding 4G coverage from 1.03 billion to 1.2 billion people and launching 5G in key markets. The plan also includes capacity expansion to meet growing data needs.
