Vodafone Idea (Vi) is reportedly in talks with Nokia for 4G network business. Vi currently uses Huawei’s telecom gear in the country, but according to sources cited in a Reuters report on Friday, the Indian telecom player is looking to swap its partner.
As per the deal, Nokia will be tasked with setting up 12,000 5G ready radio sites and 4,000 small cells for the Wi in Delhi, the report said. The decision to go with Nokia will allow Vi to operate and manage its 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G from a single platform, and deployments could begin next month, according to sources cited by Reuters.
Also read: Tired of PUBG Mobile? A new Call of Duty smartphone game is coming soon
The move is another blow to Huawei and its business in India. The Chinese telecom giant has gradually been marginalized from the country’s telecom sector.
The Indian government has raised security concerns over Huawei’s operations in the country, forcing the telecom industry to transform its ecosystem and reduce dependence on Huawei for telecom gear. For its part, Huawei has denied those allegations, but its business has been severely disrupted, even though the company has not been officially banned in the country.
Also read: Government of India invites drone industry to apply for Rs 120 crore PLI scheme
Huawei was also not allowed to participate in 5G trials in India, another move to encourage other companies to build networks for the country. The likes of Nokia and Ericsson have benefited greatly from Huawei’s lack of involvement in the Indian telecom sector, and Vi is following every other telecom player operating in the country.
India is expected to conduct an auction of 5G spectrum in the second half of 2022, as reported by the country’s government.
Watch Video: Apple iPhone SE 2022 launched at Rs 43,900: India availability, specs and all details
Huawei has been a significant contributor to the growth of the global telecommunications sector, but over the years, the telecom giant has been sidelined in other parts of the world.
Read minute-by-minute news updates for Uttar Pradesh Election Result 2022, Punjab Election Result 2022, Uttarakhand Election Result 2022, Manipur Election Result 2022And Goa election result 2022,
Click here for seat-wise LIVE result Updates.