Bharti Airtel has announced an expanded partnership with Nokia to deploy advanced Packet Core and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) solutions across its 4G and 5G networks. The agreement includes a multi-year rollout of Nokia’s appliance-based core network solutions, enabling Airtel to deliver a unified 4G/5G experience on a single infrastructure platform. This upgrade will allow the operator to integrate 5G standalone (SA) capabilities and streamline service deployment with Nokia’s automation framework and GenAI-enabled orchestration tools.
The deployment focuses on appliance-based Packet Core gateways to improve cost-efficiency and scalability, while maintaining a cloud-native architecture across the broader network. By leveraging Nokia’s converged Packet Core technology, Airtel aims to optimize its hardware footprint, lower cost per bit, and increase network agility as it prepares for more advanced 5G use cases. Nokia’s FWA solution will also enhance broadband capacity for residential and enterprise users.
Nokia’s Packet Core supports zero-touch service launch and lifecycle management, enabling Airtel to rapidly roll out new services while reducing operational complexity. The collaboration extends across most of Airtel’s service regions and includes automation and assurance capabilities powered by artificial intelligence. This move further solidifies Nokia’s presence in Airtel’s core network, which already includes VoLTE, VoNR, UDM, HSS, HLR, and MANO components.
• Bharti Airtel expands Nokia partnership to deploy 5G-ready Packet Core and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) solutions
• Unified appliance-based core enables integrated 4G/5G architecture with reduced operational costs
• Multi-year agreement spans most of Airtel’s nationwide service areas
• Network automation and lifecycle management powered by GenAI for faster time-to-market
• Nokia’s Packet Core FWA solution boosts capacity for home broadband and enterprise connectivity
• Airtel’s core network already uses Nokia’s VoLTE, HSS, UDM, VoNR, and MANO solutions
“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,” said Randeep Sekhon, CTO of Airtel.
“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,” said Raghav Sahgal, President of Cloud and Network Services at Nokia.
