Nokia said on Wednesday it has won a “multi-billion dollar” deal with India’s Bharti Airtel to deliver 4G and 5G equipment.
The announcement comes at a time when Bharti Airtel, MediaTek and Nokia have successfully completed trials aimed at improving 5G uplink performance. The trial, conducted at Airtel’s technology lab, set a new benchmark by achieving delivery speeds of up to 300 Mbps, thanks to the efficient combination of mid-band TDD and FDD spectrum.
The innovative experiment used the 3.5 GHz (n78) and 2.1 GHz (n1) frequency bands, significantly improving uplink performance. This dynamic switching between TDD and FDD carriers allows Airtel to efficiently manage high-demand use cases such as video conferencing, live streaming and large file uploading. The beta version promises enhanced network efficiency, faster connection, and improved user experience.
Randeep Sekhon, CTO, Airtel, emphasized the importance of continuous innovation in their network infrastructure. He noted that this trial not only enhances uplink speeds, but also ensures a faster and more reliable 5G experience for users. MediaTek’s Dimensity 5G mobile platform played a crucial role in achieving these incredible uplink speeds.
Tarun Chhabra, Country Director, Nokia India, expressed pride in its long-term partnership with Airtel, stating that the success of the trial would pave the way for superior 5G networks, supporting mobile devices and data-intensive applications. This trial used Nokia’s next-generation AirScale 5G radio set and MediaTek’s Dimensity platform.