Explore Airtel

    Nokia and Bharti Airtel complete successful 5G NSA Cloud RAN trial in India

    • First 5G NSA Cloud RAN trial adds to Nokia’s multiple 5G Cloud RAN references
    • Significant milestone in Airtel’s network evolution, diversifying portfolio in building scalable networks with agility and highly automated processes
    • Nokia's anyRAN approach allows operators to evolve their networks to a hybrid RAN environment with both Cloud RAN and purpose-built RAN deployments co-existing delivering a high-quality performance

    22 July 2024 Espoo, Finland/ India: Nokia today announced that it has successfully completed its first 5G non-standalone (NSA) Cloud RAN trial with Bharti Airtel (Airtel) in India. The project supports Airtel’s aim to deliver a superior customer experience using high-performing networks. Software driven RAN is expected to deliver higher levels of service innovation, higher network automation, flexibility and efficient scaling of resources to support end-user services.

    The trial took place in an over-the-air environment utilizing 3.5 GHz spectrum for 5G and 2100 MHz for 4G. Data calls were successfully performed with commercial user devices over Airtel’s commercial network achieving a throughput of over 1.2Gbps. The trial utilized Nokia’s RAN Software for virtualized Distributed Unit (vDU) and virtualized Centralized Unit (vCU) running on x86 Hardware with a CaaS layer. The trial also used Nokia’s L1 acceleration that will enable enhanced power efficiency and support Nokia’s anyRAN benefits of using common RAN software with the purpose-built part of the network. This will enable common functionality and performance across the hybrid network.

    This trial marks a significant milestone in Airtel's overall cloudification journey and supports the operator’s ambition of bringing cloud networking benefits, such as scalability and agility, to their network. Nokia’s anyRAN is an open approach to building future-ready radio access networks together with an ecosystem of best-in-class industry partners. It’s designed to give mobile operators and enterprises a collaborative advantage by offering them more flexibility in their choice of cloud infrastructure software, hardware, and technology suppliers. Operators have the opportunity to evolve their networks to a hybrid RAN approach with both Cloud RAN and purpose-built RAN deployments co-existing, delivering a consistent, high-quality performance.

    Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia, said, “This successful trial with our long-term partner, Bharti Airtel supports their ambitions for building scalable, agile and highly automated networks. Nokia’s approach to Cloud RAN means that our customers can flexibly evolve to Cloud RAN with choices in Cloud infrastructure and data center hardware. This will drive efficiency, innovation, openness, and scale in their RAN evolution.”

    Randeep Sekhon, Chief Technology Officer at Bharti Airtel said, “This successful Cloud RAN trial is a significant step forward in our consistent efforts to integrate the latest and most efficient technologies into our network and leverage these to deliver brilliant customer experiences. This partnership with Nokia has enabled us to pioneer innovative solutions to upgrade our capabilities in 5G.”

    December 2024

    November 2024

    October 2024

    September 2024

    August 2024

    July 2024

    June 2024

    May 2024

    April 2024

    March 2024

    February 2024

    January 2024

    December 2023

    November 2023

    October 2023

    September 2023

    August 2023

    July 2023

    June 2023

    May 2023

    April 2023

    March 2023

    February 2023

    January 2023

    December 2022

    November 2022

    October 2022

    September 2022

    August 2022

    July 2022

    June 2022

    May 2022

    April 2022

    March 2022

    February 2022

    January 2022

    December 2021

    November 2021

    October 2021

    September 2021

    August 2021

    July 2021

    June 2021

    May 2021

    April 2021

    March 2021

    February 2021

    January 2021

    December 2020

    November 2020

    October 2020

    September 2020

    August 2020

    July 2020

    June 2020

    May 2020

    April 2020

    March 2020

    February 2020

    January 2020

    December 2019

    November 2019

    October 2019

    September 2019

    August 2019

    July 2019

    June 2019

    May 2019

    April 2019

    March 2019

    February 2019

    January 2019

    November 2018

    October 2018

    September 2018

    August 2018

    July 2018

    June 2018

    May 2018

    April 2018

    March 2018

    February 2018

    January 2018

    December 2017

    November 2017

    October 2017

    September 2017

    August 2017

    July 2017

    June 2017

    May 2017

    April 2017

    March 2017

    February 2017

    January 2017

    December 2016

    November 2016

    October 2016

    September 2016

    August 2016

    July 2016

    June 2016

    May 2016

    April 2016

    March 2016

    February 2016

    January 2016