Vodafone Idea (Vi) has announced an extension of its long-standing partnership with Ericsson to modernize its network infrastructure and transform postpaid billing systems. The move is aimed at strengthening Vi’s nationwide network footprint while transitioning its legacy IT systems to native cloud platforms.
Since 2024, Ericsson has supported Vi in deploying new 4G and 5G sites, adding network layers and rolling out high-performance small cell (HPSC) towers in 10 telecom circles.
Under the extended agreement, the focus will shift to:
- Expanding coverage through the establishment and integration of new countries
- Increase network capacity to address increased data consumption
- Improving indoor coverage and accelerating 4G and 5G deployment
The collaboration is positioned to help Vi prepare its infrastructure for the upcoming 5G standalone (SA) architecture.
After migrating millions of prepaid subscribers to Ericsson’s charging platform in 2023, Vi has now chosen Ericsson to deploy a Cloud Converged Charging System for its contract customers.
With this deployment, Ericsson becomes a pan-India provider of online charging solutions in both prepaid and postpaid segments. The new system will replace legacy offline billing and assessment functions, enabling real-time charging for voice, VoLTE, SMS and data services for consumer and enterprise users.
Vi expects the upgrade to reduce operational expenses (OPEX), accelerate service launch and increase billing flexibility.
The agreement also includes the introduction of Ericsson Telco IT AI applications, designed to improve operational efficiency and system reliability. These tools include application load anomaly detection, order consequence detection and prediction, telephony cloud capacity prediction, and intelligent usage analysis.
Ericsson’s converged charging platform complies with TM Forum’s Open Digital Architecture and supports open APIs. This allows for catalog-driven product configuration, enabling Vi to introduce customized offerings faster and respond more dynamically to the evolving demands of the digital marketplace.
Jagbir Singh, Chief Technology Officer, Vodafone Idea, said: “We look forward to further strengthening our long-standing partnership with Ericsson. The simplification and benefits of cloud-native Ericsson charging will help us future-proof our architecture, enabling us to meet the demands of today’s digital environment and the needs of new customers. Real-time 5G adoption will win the real-time needs of Indian customers. account information and advanced offerings, helping us deliver world-class customer experiences using artificial intelligence to achieve operational efficiencies and drive growth.”
Andres Vicente, CEO, South East Asia, Oceania and India, Ericsson, said: “Our deep understanding of Vi’s business is reflected in the excellent customer service we work so closely together to deliver. We are pleased to expand our collaboration by deploying Ericsson Charging to modernize Vi’s postpaid rating and real-time offline charging model. The AI-driven solution will help Vi modernize operations and accelerate service deployment the next generation.”
