Airtel contracts Nokia for network expansion in eight circles

Bharti Airtel, India’s biggest mobile phone company by subscribers, has contracted Nokia to manage and expand its GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks in eight telecoms circles and deploy a nationwide WAP solution. Under the terms of the three-year deal, Nokia will provide managed services and expand Airtel networks to cover all towns and cities in the circles of Mumbai, Maharashtra & Goa, Gujarat, Bihar (including Jharkhand), Orissa, Kolkata, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh (including Chattisgarh). Nokia will also deploy a WAP solution across Airtel’s national network to enhance the operator’s mobile packet core network capabilities. Network monitoring operations will be carried out from Nokia’s Global Network Services Center in Chennai.