Ericsson expects network densification to drive next phase of growth in India

Swedish telecom cogwheel shaper Ericsson expects its adjacent signifier of maturation successful India volition beryllium driven by web densification owed to the rising information depletion appetite of extremity users successful the country, a elder institution authoritative has said.

Ericsson's managing manager for India and caput of networks for marketplace country South East Asia, Oceania and India, Nitin Bansal told PTI that determination is important imaginable for maturation successful fixed wireless entree successful India, and it volition soon surpass the fig of deployments successful the US.

"The adjacent signifier of maturation is focused connected gathering expanding postulation requirements, chiefly done web densification to heighten web utilisation. Network densification volition hap owed to accrued web utilisation," helium said.

Ericsson estimates that the information postulation successful India volition turn from 29 GB per smartphone idiosyncratic per period to 68 GB per smartphone idiosyncratic per period by 2029. "If the inclination continues, past work providers volition densify the web to heighten the acquisition of users," Bansal said.

After registering a grounds leap successful concern from India connected relationship of a speedy 5G rollout successful the 2nd fractional of 2022 and aboriginal 2023, telecom cogwheel makers, including Ericsson, person seen a slowing down of business.

Ericsson reported a 44 per cent year-on-year diminution successful concern for the 3rd 4th of September 2024 successful Southeast Asia, Oceania and India region. "Even though 5G request whitethorn person tapered down, determination are inactive opportunities successful 4G and 5G services, peculiarly arsenic the institution looks to grow its assertive attack successful the market.

The concern is cyclic - with information depletion expected to turn from 29 GB to 68 GB by 2029, determination volition beryllium a request for capableness enhancements crossed networks," Bansal said.

Recently, Vodafone Idea (VIL) announced a Rs 30,000 crore capex programme for gathering 4G and 5G capableness crossed 17 circles successful India. It has selected Ericsson, Nokia and Samsung for the contract.

The institution has awarded 2 caller telecom circles to Ericsson nether the contract. VIL has besides awarded a information of the network, managed by Chinese players, successful the different 2 circles to Ericsson.

With the caller awards, Ericsson volition present negociate telecom networks for 10 retired of 17 progressive circles of VIL. Bansal said that too web build-out and densification, Ericsson is optimistic astir the concern maturation successful India by focusing connected web improvement and web APIs.

He said the Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) task volition spot the engagement of startups that volition make technologies and platforms to heighten telecom web usage.

"The caller announcement astir each starring operators, including Jio and Bharti Airtel, joining a caller task to harvester and merchantability web Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) connected a planetary standard to spur innovation successful integer services is seen arsenic a imaginable crippled changer. Exposing web APIs to startups is expected to thrust web usage significantly," helium said.

Bansal said startups are seen arsenic captious to leveraging web APIs, which could heighten web usage and make caller concern opportunities. "Interest from startups is increasing, peculiarly for endeavor solutions," helium added.

Talking astir the request for artificial quality exertion successful the telecom sector, Bansal said telecom operators are chiefly looking for AI solutions that heighten ratio and show successful their networks.

"The absorption is connected passive web absorption and improvements and different applications of AI. There are efforts to embed neuromorphic exertion to importantly trim powerfulness consumption.