Future in mind, Airtel dials SK Telecom for newer tech

NEW DELHI: Bharti Airtel Ltd on Wednesday said it has formed a strategic partnership with SK Telecom to leverage the South Korean telecom operator’s expertise in improving network experience, machine learning, big data and to provide a better experience to customers.

The two companies will also collaborate to evolve standards for 5G, network functions virtualisation, software-defined networking and internet of things, and jointly work towards building an enabling ecosystem for the introduction of these technologies in the Indian context.

“This partnership will bring a dramatically improved experience to Airtel customers by leveraging the expertise of a company that has built one of the best mobile broadband networks in the world,” Sunil Mittal, chairman, Bharti Airtel, said in a statement issued by the company on Wednesday.

To be sure, technology in the telecom space is changing a great deal and so is the business model of telcos. India missed the bus for 4G technology, which only got rejuvenated after the launch of 4G-only Jio Infocomm, which disrupted the market with heavy data flow for free in the beginning and later at ultra-cheap rates. But, the world is moving towards 5G technology, which is expected to offer faster data speed that will reduce the time taken to transfer data from one device to another significantly. It will also be crucial in establishing the so-called Internet of Things, or connecting all devices to the Internet.

The government does not want to miss the 5G bus. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is expected to release consultation papers ahead of framing regulations and standards for the rollout of 5G networks and Internet of Things (IoT).

Airtel’s move to tie up with SK Telecom is aimed in that direction.

SK Telecom is Korea’s largest telco with more than 29 million mobile users, or about 50% of the total market. It is looking at commercialising 5G technology.