Bharti Airtel renewed a nationwide managed services agreement with Ericsson, with plans to deploy the vendor’s AI-based automated technology to boost its network performance and operational efficiency.

In a statement issued early on 21 July, Ericsson said the three-year contract covers end-to-end customer-centric operations, optimisation, and enhanced network and IT capabilities, and builds on 25 years work with Airtel in India.

The vendor said it aims to transform existing operations with new capabilities introduced through its operations engine, along with managing Airtel’s network operations centre and field maintenance activities.

Airtel CTO Randeep Sekhon said Ericsson’s technologies “will enable us to serve the emerging data requirements of customers in a digitally connected India”.

In late April, Airtel awarded a multi-year RAN contract to Nokia worth a reported $1 billion, covering radio access unit deployments in nine of India’s 22 regions.