Airtel partners with Qualcomm for virtualised, Open RAN-based 5G networks

Telecom operator Bharti Airtel on Tuesday announced that it had collaborated with Qualcomm for accelerating 5G in India. Through Airtel’s network vendors and device partners, the company would utilise the Qualcomm 5G RAN Platforms to roll out virtualised and Open RAN-based 5G networks, said the company in a statement.

“Airtel has been a pioneer of new technologies and our networks are fully ready for 5G. We are delighted to have Qualcomm Technologies as a key technology provider in our journey to roll-out world-class 5G in India. With Airtel’s integrated service portfolio and Qualcomm Technologies’ 5G leadership, we will be well placed to usher India into the next era of hyper-fast and ultra-low latency digital connectivity,” said Randeep Sekhon, CTO, Bharti Airtel.

Airtel is also looking to collaborate with Qualcomm for 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) to deliver broadband connectivity at Gigabit speeds to homes and businesses. Through this collaboration, Airtel and Qualcomm aim to allow a faster rollout of broadband services in a cost effective and expeditious manner across India.

“There is a compelling case to accelerate the roll-out of 5G networks in India, as it will help fast-track the country’s socio-economic growth and development. We are pleased to be working with Airtel, and we are excited by the opportunity ahead. This collaboration is expected to play a critical role in Airtel’s plans to add 5G network coverage and capacity where and when it is needed the most,” said Rajen Vagadia, Vice President, QUALCOMM India Private Limited and President, Qualcomm India.

Airtel said its 5G solutions, including FWA services, will be able to deliver multi-gigabit internet speeds wirelessly to customers and open up a wide range of innovations. For customers, the ultra-fast and low latency of 5G will unlock a digital world of limitless possibilities – gigabit size file downloads in seconds and 4K video streaming on the go across smartphones and computing devices, Immersive Technologies such as Virtual Reality and SMART Homes with connected things.