Indian telecom company Jio has partnered with Swedish firm Ericsson and Finnish telecom equipment maker Nokia to deploy its 5G network in India. Ericsson today said it has entered into a long-term strategic partnership with Reliance Jio Infocomm to launch a standalone (SA) 5G network in the country. The company also said that this is the first partnership between Jio and Ericsson for the deployment of Radio Access Network (RAN) in the country.
Ericsson also said it will deploy 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) products and solutions for Jio from Ericsson Radio Systems and E-Band Microwave Mobile Transport Solutions, all built on SA networks.
Apart from partnering with Ericsson, Jio has also partnered with Finnish telecom gear maker Nokia to deploy its 5G network in India. According to a report in Economic Times Telecom, the company has received a multi-year contract to deploy the RAN 5G network in India.
As part of the partnership, Nokia will provide its Airscale portfolio, which includes remote radio heads (RRH), base stations and 5G MIMO antennas, to help the company deploy various spectrum bands in the country.
“We are delighted to partner with Ericsson for Jio’s 5G SA rollout. Jio changed the digital landscape in India with the launch of LTE services in 2016. We are confident that Jio’s 5G network will accelerate India’s digitization and serve as the foundation for achieving the ‘Digital India’ vision of our country,” said Akash Ambani, Chairman, Reliance Jio on the occasion.
Significantly, Jio started deploying its 5G network in India earlier this month. The company started testing its ‘True 5G’ network in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Varanasi earlier this month. At the launch, the company said that 4G customers will not need to upgrade their SIM cards to gain access to the 5G network in cities where it is available. The company had also said that it will provide its 5G services to eligible customers at the cost of 4G plans. However, Jio customers will have to ensure that they recharge their Jio numbers with a minimum plan price of Rs 239 to get access to the company’s 5G network.
Nokia first appeared on BGR India following Jio partnership with Ericsson to deploy 5G network in India.
