Bharti Airtel will deploy Ribbon Communications' 5G-Native Neptune platform to enhance its mobile backhaul transport capabilities. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Ribbon's 5G-native Neptune solution will be deployed throughout Bharti Airtel's India network, providing high capacity, low latency and real time programmability. The Neptune platform enables a powerful, efficient multi-layer next-generation network solution for a seamless evolution to future 5G services. The platform will be controlled, managed and automated by Ribbon's cloud-native Muse system, which provides Airtel with an integrated machine-to-machine ecosystem for end-to-end automated service fulfillment and assurance as well as automated migration from the existing network to the modernized one. 
"Ribbon has been a trusted partner since 2004, and their proven track record gives us confidence that they will successfully manage this upgrade. This compact, robust IP/MPLS-Access solution from Ribbon will both serve our current needs and make the Airtel network 5G ready," said Randeep Sekhon, CTO, Bharti Airtel.
"5G will unleash a significant array of new applications and services that users around the world will benefit from," said Bruce McClelland, CEO of Ribbon Communications. "We are honored to have been selected by Bharti Airtel for this critical upgrade and look forward to further expanding our relationship while supporting their pioneering vision for the future."
