Idea Cellular has chosen to partner with Ericsson to upgrade its 2G and 3G networks and roll out its 4G services in certain circles in India. The contract includes the provision of equipment, software and professional services for 2 years.
The Idea 4G deployment by Ericsson will take place in Maharashtra, the North East, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. These areas collectively serve over 40 million customers. The latter is set to install its multi-standard RBS 6000 radio base station for the rollout. It supports GSM/EDGE, WCDMA/HSPA and LTE networks within a single cabinet.
As per the statement, Ericsson will also update Idea Cellular’s current mobile radio access and central network infrastructure for 9 2G circles and 5 3G ones. The change will supposedly allow the telecom operator to deliver faster data speeds and an improved smartphone performance to its subscribers.
Idea had previously asserted that it would bring its 4G network to Maharashtra and Goa, Orissa and North East regions by March this year. To recall, it had launched its LTE platform back in December 2015 starting with South India. It’s since moved on to North India and expanded its presence in the South. The brand’s long-term goal is to hit availability in 750 towns across India by June 2016.
Also Read: Idea 4G expands to 39 towns in Karnataka
Its main rivals in this endeavor are Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Reliance Jio. The first had completed its 4G rollout months ago, while the second only finished the deployment last week. The UK-based brand additionally has a presence in only 5 circles in India as of now. The third is yet to officially announce a date for its launch, though rumors suggest it could begin its services in March or April.