Nokia said on Wednesday it has won a “multi-billion” dollar contract with India’s Bharti Airtel to supply 4G and 5G equipment.
The announcement comes as Bharti Airtel, MediaTek, and Nokia successfully complete trials aimed at boosting 5G uplink performance. Run at Airtel’s tech lab, the trial set a new benchmark by achieving an uplink speed of 300 Mbps thanks to an efficient combination of TDD and FDD mid-band spectrum.
Modern testing used frequency bands of 3.5 GHz (n78) and 2.1 GHz (n1), which significantly improved uplink performance. This dynamic switching between TDD and FDD carriers allows Airtel to efficiently handle high-demand use cases such as video conferencing, live streaming, and large file uploads. The trial promises better network performance, faster connectivity, and a better user experience.
Airtel’s Chief Technology Officer Randeep Sekhun emphasized the importance of continuous innovation in its network infrastructure. He noted that the trial not only boosts uplink speeds but also ensures a faster, more reliable 5G experience for users. MediaTek’s Dimensity 5G mobile platform was instrumental in achieving these impressive uplink speeds.
Tarun Chhabra, Nokia’s country manager in India, expressed pride in its long-term partnership with Airtel, saying the success of the trial will pave the way for advanced 5G networks, supporting mobile devices and data-intensive applications. The trial used Nokia’s next-generation 5G AirScale radio portfolio and MediaTek’s Dimensity platform.
