Bharti Airtel Signs Multi-Year Deal With Ericsson To Manage Pan-India Network

In a significant move aimed at accelerating its 5G transformation, Bharti Airtel has signed a multi-year Network Operations Center (NOC) Managed Services agreement with Swedish telecom gear giant Ericsson. This collaboration marks a key step in Airtel’s mission to create a future-ready, AI-enabled, and diversified network across India.

Pan-India NOC to Manage 4G, 5G, FWA, Private Networks
As part of the agreement, Ericsson will manage Airtel’s entire nationwide network through its centralized NOC platform. The scope of operations includes 4G, 5G Non-Standalone (NSA), 5G Standalone (SA), Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), Private Networks, and cutting-edge services like network slicing.

The deal reinforces the two companies’ shared commitment to intent-based operations — a modern approach that uses AI and automation to optimize network performance, predict faults, and boost efficiency.

Airtel Bets on AI, Automation for Future-Ready Network
Commenting on the deal, Randeep Sekhon, Chief Technology Officer of Bharti Airtel, said, “We are excited to enhance our strong collaboration with Ericsson as we pursue our goal of creating a future-ready network that delivers an exceptional experience for our customers. We believe that these innovative technologies will empower us to meet the growing data demands of consumers in a digitally connected India.”

Ericsson to Drive Service Diversification and Revenue Growth
Ericsson, which has also partnered with Airtel for its 5G Core rollout, sees this expanded alliance as a pathway to unlocking new services and revenue streams for Airtel.
Andres Vicente, Head of Market Area Southeast Asia, Oceania and India at Ericsson, noted, “This milestone agreement with Bharti Airtel reinforces our commitment to helping Airtel deliver the best possible experience for its customers. By leveraging Intent-Based NOC Operations, we will enable Airtel to unlock wider service diversification to meet customer needs, thereby enabling new revenue opportunities for Airtel.”

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Part of a Larger Multi-Billion 5G Push
This new agreement closely follows Ericsson’s multi-billion-dollar network expansion contract with Airtel, announced in December 2024, under which the Swedish company is already supporting Airtel’s 4G and 5G rollouts across the country.