Nokia and Bharti Airtel Partner to Enhance India’s Optical Network

Nokia and Bharti Airtel have announced a collaboration to deploy a next-generation optical transport network across India. This initiative aims to upgrade Bharti Airtel’s existing network, utilizing Nokia’s 1830 PSS-x OTN switches to connect major cities, enhancing capacity, reliability, and cost-efficiency.

Key Highlights:

• Nokia to provide Optical Transport Network (OTN) technology for Bharti Airtel’s nationwide infrastructure.
• The enhanced network will support the growing demands of enterprises, operators, and hyperscalers in India.
• The agreement includes the use of Nokia’s 1830 PSS-x OTN switches for Airtel’s National Long-Distance Network.
• The upgrade addresses the increased traffic demand from 5G networks and broadband connectivity expansion.
• The new network aims to deliver faster, more reliable broadband services and support emerging use cases.

In a significant move to bolster India’s digital infrastructure, Nokia has entered into an agreement with Bharti Airtel to deploy an advanced optical transport network. The collaboration will see the deployment of Nokia’s 1830 PSS-x OTN switches across Airtel’s National Long-Distance Network, connecting major Indian cities. This network enhancement is in response to the rising demands from the rollout of 5G networks and the broader push for broadband connectivity across the country.

The upgraded network will address the need for increased capacity and bandwidth efficiency, crucial for supporting dense 5G mobile networks, smart grids, data center interconnects (DCI), and other business services. The implementation of high-capacity OTN switching and the utilization of additional fiber spectrum, including the L-band wavelengths, will enable Bharti Airtel to offer faster and more reliable broadband services, preparing the network for future digital demands.

Chandan Kumar, Head of Optical Network Business Centre for Nokia India, emphasized the impact of this technology on Airtel’s capacity to meet the escalating bandwidth demand, particularly from enterprise and hyperscaler segments. He also highlighted the expected improvement in service level performance and adherence to strict SLAs for Airtel customers.

For more information, visit the webpage on the 1830 PSS-x P-OTN Switching solution.