Bharti Airtel expands managed services partnership with Ericsson

• Ericsson will provide multi-vendor, multi-technology managed services by operating and maintaining a majority of BhartiAirtel's network across India
• Ericsson also takes responsibility for the Intelligent Network that manages BhartiAirtel's prepaid customer base in India, benefitting more than 170 million customers
• BhartiAirtel to expand and extend contract across 15 circles for 5 years

BhartiAirtel, ("Airtel") a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 19 countries across Asia and Africa today expanded its managed services agreement with Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) for its India operations. Under this new five-year multi-vendor, multi technology managed services agreement Ericsson will operate, maintain and provide services across 70 percent of BhartiAirtel's network in India. 

In addition to the standard portfolio of managed services, Ericsson will also take responsibility for the Intelligent Network that manages BhartiAirtel's prepaid customer base. The initiative is in line with Airtel's commitment to ushering in the next level of user experience on wireless communications. BhartiAirtel will expand and extend contract across 15 circles for 5 years.

"Sanjay Kapoor, CEO-India and South Asia, BhartiAirtel emphasized "With India emerging as the third largest internet market and a multi-fold growth in data traffic on the back of a rising number of smartphones, wireless networks need to be ready for the data revolution that has only just begun. This unique multi-technology Managed Services partnership with Ericsson will help us focus on creating a compelling service proposition for our customers, as we look to ramp up our market access for next generation services on 3G and 4G."

Fredrik Jejdling, Head of Ericsson India, says: "The rapid increase in customer numbers, and the network complexities due to multiple technology overlays defines the need for a renewed focus on differentiated user experience. As more and more people are joining the Networked Society, in which everybody and everything is connected it is imperative that we continue to provide high-quality, innovative services to the end users".

The 15 telecom Circles under the scope of the partnership include, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, UP(W), UP(E), Rajasthan, North Eastern states, Assam, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Chennai and Kerala.

Ericsson will also ensure effective management of operational expenditure and maximize efficiencies of scale whilst undertaking to improve the overall quality of the network in these Circles. The full suite of managed services will be rendered through a state of the art GlobalNetworkOperationCenter and field operation activities spread throughout the country. The evolved managed services now incorporate the cutting-edge tools that Ericsson gained from its recent acquisitions of Optimi and Telcordia.

As BhartiAirtel operates in a multi-vendor environment, Ericsson will be required to manage equipment produced by other vendors, as well as its own and to draw on the experience, expertise and synergies it has gained from other similar engagements.

Notes to editors:

About Ericsson's Managed Services offering
Ericsson has the telecom industry's most comprehensive managed services offering. It ranges from designing, building, operating and managing day-to-day operations of a customer's network, including end-user services and business-support systems, to hosting service-layer solutions and providing network coverage and capacity on demand. As the undisputed leader in managed services, Ericsson has officially announced more than 100 contracts for managed services with operators worldwide since 2002. In all current managed services contracts, excluding hosting, Ericsson is managing networks that together serve more than 850 million subscribers worldwide.

BhartiAirtel signs five year managed services agreement with Ericsson for its Africa operations

Ericsson powers BhartiAirtel'sworld class 3G network infrastructure in Delhi & NCR

BhartiAirtel extends partnership with Ericsson

Boost of Ericsson's global ICT capabilities in India

About BhartiAirtel Limited
BhartiAirtel Limited is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 19 countries across Asia and Africa. The company offers 3G voice & data services, fixed line, high speed broadband, IPTV, DTH, turnkey telecom solutions for enterprises and national & international long distance services to carriers globally. In rest of the geographies it offers mobile voice & high speed wireless internet. BhartiAirtel has been ranked among the six best performing technology companies in the world by BusinessWeek. BhartiAirtel had over 238 million customers across its operations at the end of October 2011. To know more please visit, www.airtel.com

Ericsson is the world's leading provider of technology and services to telecom operators. Ericsson is the leader in 2G, 3G and 4G mobile technologies, and provides support for networks with over 2 billion subscribers and has the leading position in managed services. The company's portfolio comprises mobile and fixed network infrastructure, telecom services, software, broadband and multimedia solutions for operators, enterprises and the media industry. The Sony Ericsson and ST-Ericsson joint ventures provide consumers with feature-rich personal mobile devices.

Ericsson is advancing its vision of being the "prime driver in an all-communicating world" through innovation, technology, and sustainable business solutions. Working in 180 countries, more than 90,000 employees generated revenue of SEK 203.3 billion (USD 28.2 billion) in 2010. Founded in 1876 with the headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, Ericsson is listed on NASDAQ OMX, Stockholm and NASDAQ New York.

www.ericsson.com
www.twitter.com/ericssonpress
www.facebook.com/technologyforgood
www.youtube.com/ericssonpress

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT

Ericsson Corporate Public & Media Relations
Phone: +46 10 719 69 92
E-mail: media.relations@ericsson.com

Ericsson Investor Relations
Phone: +46 10 719 00 00
E-mail: investor.relations@ericsson.com