Ceragon Networks, a wireless backhaul technology company, announced its $60 million deal with a mobile operator in India to expand 4G LTE service coverage and increase network capacity.
Ceragon Networks does not reveal the name of the 4G operator client in India. The same client has given wireless backhaul deal to Ceragon Networks in the past as well.
Top 4G operators in India include Reliance Jio Infocomm, Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular and Vodafone.
Ceragon Networks will supply its IP-20 Platform to the operator to connect 4G LTE sites across the network, delivering HD multimedia services to subscribers. The IP-20 Platform wireless backhaul will support the mobile operator’s goal to increase 4G service coverage and increase network capacity.
Ceragon’s multicore technology will enable the Indian operator to meet its network coverage and high capacity requirements, overcoming microwave spectrum shortages, as well as the lack of fiber infrastructure.
The IP-20 Platform will allow the operator to deliver 1Gbps wireless backhaul to densely populated 4G LTE aggregation sites, consuming a quarter of the spectrum otherwise needed – using Ceragon’s LoS 4×4 MIMO technology.
It will enable the operator to double its LTE sites’ capacity to more than 500Mbps, without the need to visit the sites and while maintaining lower power consumption for lower energy bills. The IP-20 Platform allows for further headroom for capacity growth once the operator prepares the network for 5G.
“This customer’s decision to deploy our IP-20 Platform is a true testament to our ability to help them to achieve the highest value,” said Ira Palti, president and CEO of Ceragon.
As a result of the new order, Ceragon Networks has revised its revenue target by $20 million to $25 million for the first half of 2017. Due to the shift in geographic mix, gross margin is expected to be below the company’s previous target of 34 percent during the first half of 2017.
The wireless backhaul technology company now expects gross profit in the first half of the year to be higher than its previous assumptions.
