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Telecom Lead Team: Mobile major Bharti Airtel has selected Nokia Siemens
Networks as its managed services partner in eight circles of the country.
The
five-year managed services contract enables Nokia Siemens Networks to manage
and maintain Bharti Airtel’s 3G and GSM networks as well as iWAN (internet
Wireless Access Network), the operator’s enterprise broadband service in
circles such as Bihar and Jharkhand; Kolkata; Gujarat; Maharashtra and Goa;
Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh; Mumbai; Orissa and West Bengal.
India
started its journey of transformation from voice to data with the deployment of
3G.The data story in the country has just begun and we will witness increasing
complexity due to multiplicity of network layers specifically when serving
data. It is imperative for any service provider to have a complete end-to-end
view to manage voice and data services. This initiative is in line with our
strategy to create ubiquitous networks for offering enriched customer
experience. Nokia Siemens Networks has been our long standing managed services
partner and we are happy to continue our association further,” said Sanjay
Kapoor, CEO, India and South Asia at Bharti Airtel.
This
is a significant deal for the telecom industry as it is the first officially
announced deal between a telecom operator and equipment vendor in 2012. There
are indications that telecom operators in India will go slow on expansion and
Capex plans in the first six months of the current year. Mobile operators are
waiting for the outcome of the National Telecom Policy 2011.
Clarity
on NTP will assist telecom companies to increase their Capex for 2G, 3G and 4G.
This
next phase of managed services relationship will help Bharti Airtel achieve
better network efficiency, simplify operations and deliver better quality
services,” Nokia Siemens said in a press release.
Nokia
Siemens Networks is already a managed services partner to Bharti Airtel in
these eight circles. These services specifically support Nokia Siemens
Networks’ installed base of mobile broadband equipment for the operator. Nokia
Siemens Networks’ products and services have helped the operator boost network
and service performance at an optimal cost of ownership and reduced carbon
footprint.
Nokia
Siemens Networks will also provide network optimization, operations and
maintenance services remotely from its Global Network Solutions Center (GNSC) in
Noida, India.
Bharti
Airtel was looking for a single managed services partner with multi-vendor
capabilities, and Nokia Siemens Networks meets all the requirements perfectly.
This deal will allow Bharti to simplify processes and improve end-to-end network
and service performance,” said Ashish Chowdhary, head of customer operations
Asia and Middle East at Nokia Siemens Networks.
Nokia
Siemens Networks today has more than 360 managed services contracts globally
with 180 operators serving close to 700 million subscribers.
