Airtel announced an agreement with Huawei to modernize and expand Airtel's 2G and 3G network infrastructure in Africa. Huawei will be responsible for designing, planning, modernization and expansion of Bharti Airtel's networks, as well as managing operations and maintenance. This Managed Capacity Manager Service business model, pioneered by Airtel eight years ago in India, will enhance the customer experience through improved voice quality and extended coverage into under-penetrated areas, the operator said. The agreement will enable Airtel Africa to rapidly expand its mobile services and mobile broadband footprint in the region. The modernization and optimization of networks will also help Bharti Airtel lower its operating expenditure and focus its resources and expertise on its core areas of product innovation, value-added services, marketing, branding and pricing. Under the terms of the agreement, Huawei will deploy its complete GSM and 3G product portfolio including BTS 3900 multi-standard radio base stations working with GSM and HSPA technologies, which will further be equipped and prepared for LTE. No financial details of the contract were released. The Press Trust of India reported citing sources close to the deal that the contract is worth close to USD 400 million. Airtel operates in 16 countries in Africa, with over 44 million customers.
