Vodafone India, the Indian arm of the British telecom major, has awarded a contract worth Rs 2,040 crore for 4G deployment to Swedish gear maker Ericsson. The contract entails deployment of its 4G services in UP West, Rajasthan, Odisha, North East and Assam telecom zones, reports quoted sources in the know as saying.
“The deployment of 4G LTE network is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2017. Ericsson, under this contract, is deploying its full radio system portfolio that offers 50% improved energy efficiency,” ET quoted a source as saying.
Neither Vodafone or Ericsson have officially confirmed the move.
The move assumes significance in the backdrop of Vodafone’s merger talks with Idea Cellular, a move that would make a telecom behemoth bigger than the current leader Bharti Airtel and new entrant Reliance Jio. The telco is already expediting its network expansion and ramping up its services to take on the rivals.
According to the ET report, Vodafone India has given network rollout contracts for all its 4G circles, including a 4G LTE deployment and expansion deal worth $450-500 million (about Rs 3,650 crore) to Nokia covering 10 circles and a similar contract to Huawei in Karnataka, Kerala and Delhi circles. Vodafone also awarded a multi-year managed services contract, worth $200 million (about Rs 1,420 crore) to Nokia, covering several telecom circles.
Vodafone India has already launched 4G services across all 17 circles planned and it is now rapidly expanding 4G footprint within these circles.
