2 mins read

Uninor Partners With Huawei For Network Modernization

  • Largest single network modernization deal in telecom industry

  • Swap of entire network and consolidation of managed services

  • Upgrade all network sites across all operating circles

  • New network to be modern, efficient and future ready

Uninor, the India business unit of Norway-based Telenor Group, today signed a contract with Huawei India to uninor-209x147modernise its entire telecom network across all its circles. All 24000 base station will be swapped with new equipments that are the state of art modern, efficient and future ready. The deal also involves Huawei becoming the managed services partner of Uninor. This is the largest deal of its kind in the Indian telecom industry and also within the Telenor Group. With this initiative, Uninor prepares for future to offer advanced internet services to the mass market customers.

This network modernisation will enhance Uninor’s network capacity to offer superior experience both on voice and internet. With energy efficient and better coverage infrastructure, Uninor will deploy green energy solutions that will optimise network cost and improve indoor coverage to further strengthen Uninor’s “Sabse Sasta” position.

Vivek Sood, CEO, Telewings Communications Services (Uninor) said, “We are glad to partner with Huawei on this transformational project that builds our network to be future ready. With this ambitious drive, we will be able to offer any advanced internet service to our customers and provide a superior experience both on voice and internet. Being a mass market player, we continue to focus on building our capabilities to offer better internet and voice services at Sabse Sasta prices.”

The project will be spread over a period of three years and aims to modernise Uninor’s existing network with Huawei’s new architecture, platforms and equipment. This will enable Uninor to be future ready to address the exponential data growth in India.

Mr. Baker Zhou, Vice President, Huawei, “It is our privilege to collaborate with Uninor India and I am happy to inform you that this is part of Huawei’s larger global Telenor partner engagement. In this project, we will modernise the existing BTS and install new single RAN green BTS which are future technology ready. This will provide superior voice and data quality, lower power consumption and better spectral efficiency. With our cutting-edge NGN and customer-centric model we will enable Uninor to a smooth transition towards future technologies.”

Under the current programme Uninor will benefit from Huawei’s “managed services” delivery system integrating multi-vendors that includes swapping of existing network with new and modern equipment, planning and optimisation, maintenance services and customer experience management. Huawei will bring its end-to-end network backbone elements to the project. This includes environment friendly green solutions that lower power consumption by almost 30% and increase spectral efficiency for a lower TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) in overall network management.

Last year Uninor had expanded its network coverage by 30% and added 5000 sites across its six operational circles taking the network coverage to nearly 24000 sites. It continues to increase its footprint in 6 circles and will be launching commercial operation in Assam soon.

About Telewings Communications Services Pvt. Limited (Uninor):
Telewings Communications Services (Uninor) is a 100 percent subsidiary of Norway-based Telenor Group – an international provider of telecom, data and media communication services. Uninor’s pre-paid GSM mobile services are commercially available in the six circles of UP (West), UP (East), Bihar (including Jharkhand), Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat as well as bagged licenses in Assam. Together, these circles account for more than 50% of India’s population giving Uninor the ability to serve every second person in India.

Uninor’s three-pillar strategy of being the best in basic services, mass-market distribution and low cost operations has helped the company grow to the 4th position in customer market share in its operating circles. In 2013, the company achieved the fastest break-even in just 4 years of launching its operations in India. The ‘Sabse Sasta’ (affordable) tariffs of Uninor empower 48 million subscribers to enjoy the benefits of wireless voice and Internet services.