A Fuller Finish

The gear-maker’s single-RAN tech saw growing traction even as a growing local manufacturing prowess helped in the backdrop

The year marked the completed integration of Alcatel Lucent with Nokia, in just about nine months after the acquisition was announced in April 2015. With this, Nokia said its addressable market globally expanded by as much as 50 percent.

The completed acquisition is a positive for the India market too, where Alcatel Lucent had held on to some niches in fixed-line and CDMA networks, though the CDMA segment is literally a dying one on account of market dynamics shifting in favor of 3G and 4G LTE.

Some of the most significant wins for Nokia in the India market last fiscal included a three-year contract to provide LTE network infrastructure for Vodafone in three circles. As per the agreement, Nokia Networks will deploy LTE networks in Mumbai, Kolkata and Punjab circles for Vodafone.

The company also won deal from Idea Cellular to roll out 4G in three circles including Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana. The deal also includes expansion of its existing infrastructure for four 3G and six 2G circles to improve radio access and core network infrastructure. As a part of the deal, Idea will deploy Nokia’s single RAN technology, which enables simultaneous 2G, 3G or 4G operations on one platform. The solution is expected to help Idea to optimize investments and deliver superior mobile broadband experience to customers.

Nokia will also support the modernization and expansion of Idea Cellular’s core network and operational support systems to support the 4G LTE rollout, along with professional services for network deployment, network planning and optimization, system integration and supervisory managed services support.

It also bagged a contract from Bharti Airtel to roll out greenfield 3G networks in five new circles and expand its third generation networks in three circles. Under the four-year contract, Nokia will provide its radio elements and services expertise to power Bharti Airtel’s 3G infrastructure.

Nokia has also taken an early lead in the development of 5G technology, and was also reportedly considering production of 5G telecom systems at its Sriperumbudur plant in Tamil Nadu. The facility has been making 4G equipment for some time now.

With over 1,200 employees, the facility is one of largest in the India telecom equipment-manufacturing sector and a strategic hub for Nokia’s global operations.

The plant last year reached a milestone rolling out its two millionth unit, a feat achieved in just seven years since inception. Nearly one-third of its production caters to exports and the remaining includes domestic consumption. Nokia was also planning to increase localization by up to 45 percent from the current 20 percent over the next three years. The facility produces and distributes components for Nokia’s complete portfolio, including radio and core network equipment. Nearly one-third of it includes 4G equipment. To strengthen its production, it was in discussions with some of its vendors in China to set up base in India, a move that would help improve its supplychain management.

After Alcatel Lucent acquisition Nokia’s addressable market has globally expanded by as much as 50 percent.