BSNL and Ciena join forces to prepare for 5G in India

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ciena to prepare its network for the impending evolution toward 5G. BSNL, in support of the Digital India vision by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and recent strategic telecom plan from India’s Department of Telecommunications, is working to conduct field trials to roll out 5G by 2020. The network operator is collaborating closely with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and technology partners to showcase a strong 5G ecosystem that enables innovation for new use cases and business models. The 5G trials are expected to take place in any of the preferred urban metro area.

To support transport delivery for these 5G trials, the parties will explore Ciena. Specifically, Ciena and BSNL intend to jointly evaluate front haul, mid haul, and backhaul transport-based use cases and scenarios to address resiliency requirements and latency concerns. Conducting field trials in collaboration with BSNL will mark an important step in making 5G a reality in India. Ciena’s unmatched leadership in packet, optical and software-enabled technology helps to create more adaptive networks and supports the adoption of 5G.