Indian operator Vodafone Idea (Vi) has expanded its strategic partnership with tech giant Ericsson to modernise its postpaid services while supporting its ongoing network expansion across the country.

Since 2024, Ericsson has deployed new 5G and 4G sites, layer additions on existing sites and HPSC (high-performance small cell) towers across ten circles.

Ericsson says it will continue to strengthen Vi’s network footprint through deployment and integration of new network sites, capacity augmentation, and coverage expansion. These efforts will lead to enhancing indoor coverage, improving data capacity, and supporting Vi’s ongoing efforts for expanding 5G and 4G connectivity.

Also, building on the successful migration of hundreds of millions of Vi prepaid subscribers to Ericsson Charging in 2023, Vi has now chosen to deploy cloud-native Ericsson Charging to support and expand its postpaid subscriber segment and deliver innovative postpaid offers.

This deal expands Ericsson’s existing footprint in Vi’s prepaid subscriber segment to include the postpaid business as well, making Ericsson a major pan-India supplier of online charging solutions for both prepaid and postpaid customers.

The new agreement also empowers Vi with a selection of new Ericsson Telco IT AI Apps, giving it greater control and flexibility over its charging platform and ensuring it can deliver reliable, efficient and future-proof services to its subscribers. Vi will leverage AI applications including Anomaly Detection for Charging Applications, Order Fallout Detection and Prediction, Capacity Forecast for Telco Cloud Stack and Intelligent Usage Analysis for Charging to enhance service delivery, improve customer experience, and drive efficiency.

Ericsson says its Convergent Charging System will enable real time charging for voice, VOLTE, SMS and data services across consumer and enterprise businesses. The new system will be more flexible, scalable and cost efficient and will allow Vi to launch new services faster. The upgrade will not only improve operational efficiency and customer experience but also help prepare Vi’s network for 5G standalone.

A demonstration of satellite-enabled voice calls over a 3GPP-compliant non-terrestrial satellite network for connected vehicles, is take place at Mobile World Congress 2026 – with the help of a very impressive partnership.

Satellite broadband systems provider Viasat and Cubic³, which supplies global connectivity solutions for software-defined vehicles and other high-value mobile assets, in association with wireless technologies giant Qualcomm Technologies. and Fraunhofer IIS, a world leader in application research, have announced a demonstration that will showcase a voice call conducted over satellite, enabling vehicles to maintain voice connectivity when cellular networks are patchy or unavailable.

This milestone, as it is described, will show that voice communications – a critical benefit for driver safety and emergency access – can operate reliably beyond the reach of terrestrial networks.

The demo brings together several advanced technologies to demonstrate how always-on connectivity can be integrated into modern software-defined vehicles (SDVs). This includes Viasat’s highly reliable satellite network, Cubic³’s global connectivity management platform (CMP) and hybrid eSIM, Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon Auto 5G Modem-RF Gen 2 platform, and the NESC voice codec from Fraunhofer IIS, with additional technical support from Amarisoft.

By extending voice services beyond cellular coverage, say the partners, automakers can ensure drivers remain connected for emergency assistance and critical safety applications, regardless of location. The demonstration also lays the foundation for future NTN-enabled vehicles as consumer expectations on data services increase and technology evolves to meet growing demand.

The collaboration builds on the partnership announced by Viasat and Cubic³ in June 2025, which combined satellite and terrestrial connectivity to support global vehicle communications. Cubic³ also intends to work with Viasat to bring future 5GNR satellite services, such as video streaming and seamless voice calls, to the automotive market.

These future applications would leverage Equatys, a jointly held entity being founded by Viasat and Space42. Equatys is designed to enable seamless 5G connectivity across satellite and terrestrial networks, extending services to billions of people and devices globally.

Viasat, Cubic³, and Qualcomm Technologies are active members of the 5GAA (5G Automotive Association), working with industry partners to advance global connectivity standards for the automotive sector.

Press Release

[Barcelona, Spain, March 1, 2026] Huawei will release the Agentic Core solution at MWC 2026 in Barcelona. This solution will leverage three engines—NE intelligence, network intelligence, and service intelligence—to address key challenges in the AI era, such as the sharp increase in traffic, differentiated network requirements, and new service monetization for operators, and promote the large-scale commercial use of intelligent network.

NE intelligence: As AI agents become a core capability of next-generation AI phones, the number of connected entities will increase tenfold, with connections extending from “humans” to physical AI (such as embodied robots and autonomous driving). This will require the introduction of key capabilities such as digital identity, agent registration and discovery, and A2A session management to build a low-latency, highly reliable network foundation, supporting the large-scale commercial deployment of physical AI.

Network intelligence: As service AI agents become more prevalent, they will generate diverse network experience requirements. For example, AI robots may require 100 Mbit/s bandwidth and 20 ms latency. Therefore, it is necessary to evolve from predefined rule networks to intent-driven networks, where network AI agents will understand the needs of different organizations, dynamically match resources, and implement a closed-loop process for policy generation, configuration, and delivery.

Service intelligence: Compared to OTT players, operators have more opportunities to provide inclusive intelligent services. Huawei supports operators’ service innovation through three key services, going beyond connectivity. AISF (Service Intelligence) will evolve from an interactive entry point to a full-featured personal assistant, integrating communication, content, and services. Communication experiences will shift toward immersive interactions, breaking through the boundaries of voice. The integration of computing and networks will continue to be commercialized, providing sustainable computing power support for AI inference and content generation.

Looking ahead, Huawei will continue to deepen the three-layer intelligent collaboration practice with operators, aiming to provide 7×24-hour inclusive intelligent connectivity, and work together to bring users a more efficient, convenient, and intelligent digital life, and create new value in the intelligent internet era.