Vodafone Idea and Ericsson tie up for deploying additional capex

India’s third-largest carrier Vodafone Idea and Swedish telecom network equipment provider Ericsson have deepened their partnership to modernise postpaid services of the carrier and augment the telco’s upcoming networks.

 

In a statement on Monday, the companies said Ericsson will deploy cloud-native ‘Ericsson Charging’ to support and expand its postpaid subscriber segment and “deliver innovative postpaid offers”. Vi intends to broaden its higher-paying postpaid customer base. As part of its larger Rs 45,000-crore capex plan to deepen network coverage and reduce customer churn, the carrier will use Ericsson’s equipment to strengthen its network footprint through the deployment and integration of new network sites, capacity augmentation and coverage expansion. The companies did not divulge the financial details of the partnership.

 

 

These efforts will lead to enhanced indoor coverage, improved data capacity and support Vi’s ongoing efforts for expanding 5G and 4G connectivity.

 

Announcing the deepening of the partnership, the release said that since 2024, Ericsson has deployed new 5G and 4G sites, layer additions on existing sites and high-performance small-cell towers across 10 circles.

 

“Vodafone Idea… has expanded its strategic partnership with Ericsson to modernise its postpaid services while supporting its ongoing network expansion across the country,” it said.

 

The deal expands Ericsson’s existing footprint in Vi’s prepaid subscriber segment to include the postpaid business as well, making the telecom equipment company a major pan-India supplier of online charging solutions for both prepaid and postpaid customers.

 

“The new agreement also empowers Vi with a selection of new Ericsson Telco IT AI Apps, giving it greater control and flexibility over its charging platform and ensuring it can deliver reliable, efficient and future-proof services to its subscribers,” the release said. The telco will leverage AI applications, including anomaly detection for charging applications, order fallout detection and prediction, capacity forecasting for the telco cloud stack and intelligent usage analysis for charging to enhance service delivery, improve customer experience and drive efficiency.

 

“The new system will be more flexible, scalable and cost-efficient and will allow Vi to launch new services faster,” the statement said, adding that the upgrade will improve operational efficiency and customer experience and help prepare Vi’s network for 5G Standalone going forward.