Airtel, Tata Group join hands to implement 5G network solution in India

BHARTI AIRTEL and Tata Group on Monday (21) announced partnership to implement 5G network solutions in India.

The announcement came as India gears up for fifth-generation mobile networks.

The new technology would enable connecting virtually everything together including machines, objects, and devices at ultra-high speeds.

Tata Group developed O-RAN (Open Radio Access Network) based Radio and core elements and integrated a totally indigenous telecom stack, while Airtel will pilot and deploy this indigenous solution as part of its 5G rollout plans in India.

The pilot will commence in January 2022, as per the government norms.

These 'Made in India' 5G products and solutions are aligned to global standards and interoperate with other products based on standard open interfaces and those defined by the O-RAN Alliance.

The 5G solutions will also open export opportunities for India.

Gopal Vittal, chief executive officer (India and South Asia) Bharti Airtel said, “We are delighted to join forces with the Tata Group to make India a global hub for 5G and allied technologies. With its world-class technology ecosystem and talent pool, India is well-positioned to build cutting edge solutions and applications for the world".

Tata group's telecom and media enterprises cater to the communication requirements of global business houses, small and medium enterprises, wholesale and home networks.

Tata Consultancy Services Limited (TCS), India's largest software company, is a member of the O-RAN Alliance, which is a global community of mobile network operators, vendors, and research and academic institutions operating in the Radio Access Network (RAN) industry.

Airtel is a board member of the O-RAN Alliance and is committed to explore and implement O-RAN-based networks in India, a statement from the company said.

Earlier this year, Airtel became the first telecom company in India to demonstrate 5G over its live network in Hyderabad. The company has started 5G trials in major cities using spectrum allocated by the Department of Telecom.

Meanwhile, the partnership will give direct competition to Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio, which is also accelerating the rollout of digital platforms and indigenously-developed 5G stack.