During a visit to Ericsson headquarters in Kista, Stockholm, Sanjeev Aga said that bringing a GSM network to the Mumbai market will help his company expand and modernize with all the features that end users in the city have been waiting for.
Mobile users currently face congestion, latency and echo in their communication. The contract with Ericsson promises to create a whole new user experience, with vastly improved voice quality. This, in turn, will help build the operator's subscription base.
"Mumbai is important to us," Aga says. "It is where our company headquarters are located, and it is India's financial and entertainment capital. In Mumbai, making it - whether in terms of subscription rates or business expansion - counts for more than in most other cities."
Ajay Sood, Key Account Manager Idea at Ericsson India, says: "This marks a historic moment for Ericsson since it is our first GSM network win in Mumbai. By awarding us our second managed services contract in the India and Sri Lanka region, Idea has reaffirmed its confidence in our ability to deliver and manage complex networks."
Under the agreement, Ericsson will provide Idea Cellular with radio access, microwave transmission and core network equipment in helping to set up, run and manage the company's GSM network.
"As a leading GSM operator in India, Idea's strength lies far more in enjoying top-brand status in the regions in which it operates, rather than in having top national subscription figures," Aga says.
"From that point of view, Mumbai is central to our growth chart because we are leaders in most of the rest of the state of Maharashtra. It is also going to be a market for the adoption of 3G.
"We chose Ericsson because we knew we would be guaranteed high-quality equipment and seasoned experience in running both GSM networks and performing future upgrades to 3G.
"We have had Ericsson as our leading supplier for nearly 10 years, and our companies have grown together in the crucial Indian market. We rely on Ericsson for its technology leadership and visionary roadmap of the future."
