Mavenir anticipates to make a pan-Indian commercial contract from Vodafone Idea by 2024

Vodafone Idea’s first technological pilot project is being tested in Jalandhar, Punjab, to ensure that the network’s hardware and operation match all of the key performance metrics of the current networks.

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Top executives of US-based open radio access network, or OpenRAN, provider Mavenir stated in an exclusive interview with Mint (a news agency in Barcelona, on the fringes of the Mobile World Congress, that the company anticipates landing a full commercial deal from Vodafone Idea for the deployment of 5G network by year’s end.

Vodafone Idea’s first technological pilot project is being tested in Jalandhar, Punjab, to ensure that the network’s hardware and operation match all of the key performance metrics of the current networks.

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“We have moved all the manufacturing of all the radios to India, from Mexico and Florida,” stated Mavenir president and chief executive officer Pradeep Kohli. “They’re manufactured by Jabil in India, and I will need six to nine months to scale up. But, we’re prepared to deploy whenever the customer wants.”

With the aid of OpenRAN technology, telecom operators may stop depending on just one vendor by sourcing hardware and software from several manufacturers. as opposed to Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, who chose to use conventional 5G technologies made by Ericsson and Nokia. Vodafone Idea has tested 5G in two locations—Delhi and Pune—but has not yet introduced the service on a commercial basis. Vodafone Idea’s principal backer and chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, Kumar Mangalam Birla, stated in November 2023 that the company plans to roll out 5G services this year.

“We’re working with them, how do we take this to a larger scale in the state of one particular circle and subsequently to the other side also, sometime later this year, you will see a major rollout coming with us, pre-condition that they need to raise funds,” added India head Sanjay Bakaya.

Vodafone Idea, the third-largest Indian carrier by number of users, announced last week that plans to raise ₹45,000 crore in debt and equity—including funds from its promoters—had been approved. In order to obtain approval to raise ₹20,000 crore in equity, it will convene with shareholders on April 2 and aim to conclude the process by the conclusion of the June quarter.

The technology company conducted the first-ever field validation of an OpenRAN-based 5G network in India, following which it held negotiations with Airtel.

With its India operation, the technology company hopes to supply both domestic and international carriers with demand.

Over the last six to nine months, Jabil’s Pune plant has shifted all of its radio equipment manufacture to India, and Mavenir is now exporting to most countries, including Europe.

While it was able to secure deals with other global players like Saudi Arabia’s STC, Canadian satellite operator Terrestar Solutions, Israel’s Partner Communications, Virgin Media O2, and Slovak Telecom for OpenRAN, packet core tech, and small cell tech for in-building solutions, Kohli said that the company’s lack of presence in the Indian market was also a contributing factor to its relatively slow movement here.

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