Bharti to partner Ericsson and Huawei to deploy world class mobile network in Bangladesh

• Cutting edge network now to provide convergent multimedia services and expand coverage in rural Bangladesh • To enable enhanced voice quality and faster data access to users • To support the success of Digital Bangladesh programme promoted by the Government New Delhi, October 7, 2010 : Bharti Airtel, a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 19 countries across Asia and Africa, today announced an agreement with Ericsson and Huawei to deploy state-of-the-art network across Bangladesh. The agreement is modeled on Bharti’s highly successful managed networks business model in India and Sri Lanka. Today’s announcement will enable Bharti to take its network deep into Bangladesh and contribute to the growth of telecom in the country with affordable services. Bharti acquired 70 percent stake in Warid Telecom in January 2010. With the advanced networks from Ericsson and Huawei, Bharti will be able to offer its customers enhanced voice quality and faster data access to facilitate internet take-up. Bharti’s agreement with the two companies includes network design, planning, implementation, project management as well as material and services for the base station sites and microwave transmission. It will also enable advanced business applications, more entertainment options and also provide a platform for evolved mobile services for a wider area in rural Bangladesh. Under this contract, Ericsson will deliver and manage majority of the company’s network capacity. Ericsson will expand and upgrade circuit and packet core network, energy efficient radio access network with evolved EDGE technology, Intelligent Network, country-wide microwave mobile backhaul and Business Support Systems (BSS). Ericsson will also supply its MSC-S Blade Cluster which supports multiple core network functions on a common blade type; a single blade can handle 1 million subscribers. Ericsson's latest packet-enabled microwave backhaul solution MINI-LINK TN and High-Density BSC (a future-proof and highly scalable radio access solution) are included in the deal. Ericsson will supply majority of the Radio network with state of the art Multi Standard Radio that consumes significantly lower power. The other network partner, Huawei will swap the existing radio network in the eastern areas of Bangladesh with state of art of technology which has better quality and performance, is more energy efficient and lower in OPEX. These partnerships will also ensure that the core and mobile backhaul networks are 3G ready, in order to reduce time to market and enable the fast roll out of 3G services at a later date. About Bharti Airtel Limited : Bharti Airtel Limited is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 19 countries across Asia and Africa. The company offers mobile voice & data services, fixed line, high speed broadband, IPTV, DTH, turnkey telecom solutions for enterprises and national & international long distance services to carriers. Bharti Airtel has been ranked among the six best performing technology companies in the world by BusinessWeek. Bharti Airtel had over 188 million customers across its operations at the end of August 2010.