Nokia wins 4G and 5G expansion deal from Bharti Airtel for its India operations
Nokia has secured a multi-billion expansion deal from Bharti Airtel. Under the agreement, Nokia will install its 4G and 5G equipment in Indian cities for a period of several years. Bharti Airtel provided information on this agreement on Wednesday (November 20).
Bharti Airtel Vice Chairman and Managing Director Gopal Vittal said this agreement will enhance connectivity solutions for Airtel. Vittal said, “This strategic partnership with Nokia will make our network infrastructure future-proof.
Apart from this, apart from providing unmatched user experience to customers, it will provide an eco-friendly network and reduce the impact on the environment. This agreement will provide premium 5G connectivity and high-quality service to Airtel subscribers.
Subscribers will benefit from premium 5G connectivity and high-quality service
Nokia Chief Executive Officer Pekka Lundmark said the agreement strengthens collaboration between the two companies and will increase the energy efficiency of Airtel’s network. The Nokia CEO said that with this deal, Airtel subscribers will benefit from premium 5G connectivity and high-quality service.
Two-decade-old partnership between Nokia and Airtel for network equipment
Nokia and Bharti Airtel have a more than two-decade-old partnership for networking equipment. The duo recently launched the ‘Green 5G Initiative’ to improve the energy efficiency of Airtel’s network and reduce carbon emissions.
Airtel was previously in talks with Nokia, Ericsson and Samsung.
On October 16, media reported that Sunil Mittal-led Bharti Airtel was in talks with its telecom equipment suppliers – Nokia, Ericsson and Samsung.
As per the agreement signed in August 2022, these companies are expected to supply approximately 50%, 45% and 5% of the new equipment requirements for Airtel’s 4G and 5G networks.
This Airtel deal comes after Vodafone Idea’s $3.6 billion equipment deal with three major equipment vendors. This VI agreement consists of expanding the 4G network and gradually starting the 5G service.
Airtel posts profit of ₹3,593 crore in second quarter
Telecom company Bharti Airtel made a profit of Rs 3,593 crore in the second quarter of fiscal 2025. There was an increase of 168% on a year-on-year basis. The company had made a profit of Rs 1,340 crore in the same quarter a year ago.
Bharti Airtel’s consolidated operating revenue grew 12% year-on-year to Rs 41,473 crore in the July-September quarter. The company’s revenue in the same quarter a year ago was Rs 37,043 crore.
Bharti Airtel’s ARPU was Rs 233.
Bharti Airtel’s ‘average revenue per user’ (ARPU) grew 14.7% to Rs 233 in the July-September quarter. It was Rs 203 in the same quarter of the last financial year.
Bharti Airtel was launched in 1995
The Indian government began distributing licenses for mobile services in 1992. The company’s founder, Sunil Mittal, saw this opportunity and, together with the French company Vivendi, acquired licenses for Delhi and its surrounding areas. In 1995, Mittal established Bharti Cellular Limited to offer cellular services and began operating under the Airtel brand.