Bharti Airtel has awarded Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) an estimated USD 1 billion contract, including expansion and an upgrade of its GSM/GPRS network and managed services. The deal will enable Bharti Airtel to rapidly extend its GSM footprint in the country and increase its network capacity.

The three-year services agreement will see Ericsson manage design, development and deployment of Bharti’s network, including capacity and coverage, enabling the operator to expand in rural India and reach out to all towns and cities in 15 regions.

Ericsson will also upgrade the network with mobile softswitch (Media Gateway and MSC Servers), the solution that paves the way to an all-IP network. Bharti Airtel will be able to reduce the operational costs and introduce new services in a cost-efficient way.

Manoj Kohli, president, Bharti Airtel, says: “At Bharti, it has been our endeavor to find innovative business models to deliver a better customer experience. Our partnership with Ericsson is testament to this belief as it allows us to focus on delivering a better customer experience even as we leverage the world-class expertise of our partners to roll out our networks across all census towns by March 2007. In addition, we are also sourcing next-generation products that will allow us to deliver innovative products and services to our customers.”

Mats Granryd, managing director, Ericsson India, says: “Rollout speed plays an extremely important role in large expansions of this nature and Ericsson has demonstrated expertise in this area. We are honored and pleased that Bharti Airtel has chosen us as a partner to expand its coverage across India, particularly in the untapped rural areas.”

Ericsson is a long-term Bharti partner, managing more than 70 percent of its GSM/GPRS network in 15 regions in India.

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Dassler Rebellion has taken the Stan Smith and “flipped it” with a limited edition custom J. Dilla Tribute kick called Dilla Exclusives. These are hot! Excellent detail work in a blue and white colorway with the old school sole. Available in size 10.

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Earlier in the year when BigBerries first covered this phone, quite a ruckus was raised. Since then a few things have changed in the mobile market, but the 8GB beast from Samsung is sure to still cause quite a stir.

Samsung will only release the SCH B570 in Korea at first, but expect other markets to get a taste of the 5.1 channel virtual stereo and 3D surround sound shortly thereafter. Other details include 2 megapixel camera, TV-Out, video playback, recording and DMB. Retail price is said to be just under $850

We were owned for a few hours but everything seems to be okay. Once again apologies for the inconvenience. The love fest may now continue.

Gizmodo/Mobileburn

For the folks who don’t spend $500 dollars on a phone after activation its getting hard. Especially hard if you are trying to distinguish yourself by having a phone different from the mail clerk. Not that we have anything against mail clerks.

However, you are not quite Blackberry ready and you don’t want to change carriers to get a Motorola Q, but you still want more than the $9.99 bargain basement phone.

Sony Ericsson remembers and presents to you the Z610i. More►

Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERICY) has been selected by TOT Public Company Limited (TOT), Thailand’s leading fixed-line operator, to deliver its EDA solution to provide high performance broadband services to subscribers across the country.

With this contract, TOT becomes the first operator in Thailand to deploy IP MSAN (Multi Service Access Node), which will be integrated into the operator’s existing nationwide network architecture. This will allow TOT to provide its customers with an ultra-high speed broadband connection of up to 24Mbps.

By deploying an all-IP network, TOT will be able to meet increased subscriber demands for faster speed and superior quality of services in a cost-efficient way and through a future-proof investment.

Hans O. Karlsson, President Ericsson Thailand, says: “We are proud to support TOT in its move towards an all-IP network and in their efforts to provide broadband services at unprecedented speed to consumers in Thailand. This is very much in line with Ericsson’s aim to bring broadband connectivity to everyone over fixed and mobile networks.”

Under the agreement, Ericsson will provide TOT with a comprehensive portfolio of services, which includes supply, delivery, installation, integration, staff training, testing and commissioning of Ericsson’s IP-MSAN for ADSL2+ (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line).

Being Ericsson’s first IP-MSAN contract with a new customer following the acquisition of Marconi earlier this year, this contract demonstrates Ericsson’s strength in offering an integrated broadband network portfolio.

Mobileburn

The phone lineup over at Alltel Wireless recently received a shot in the arm from Samsung. The company has added the SCH A645 clamshell to their list of available handsets. Aimed for the more common folk, this handset doesn’t quite qualify as meeting bleeding edge specifications. A quick rundown will reveal dual mode CDMA, a 65k 128 x 160 pixel screen, T9 predictive text and a speakerphone. Talktime looks to be in the neighborhood of 3 and a half hours, while standby is closing in just shy of 13 days. Alltel is basically giving away the Samsung SCH A645 to anybody willing to take it for ten bucks after rebates, service agreement and discounts. It is even available to existing Alltel subscribers.

Who says there has to be limits? Who says you have to follow the norms? If you did that you wouldn’t be the independent, no nonsense, kind-hearted, wonderful success that you are now. The Arne 2oz cocktail was designed in 1948 by Göran Hongell and today nearly 60 years later it still makes a strong drink look pretty. Available as a set of two.

ChicagoSun via Phonescoop

Not finished just yet, Motorola has announced another option for RAZR lovers. The company will begin offering laser-etched tattoos on the phone later this year, with precision work designed by none other than Ami James, from “Miami Ink” The company was inspired by the success of the pink RAZR, when this idea came about.

Tattoos are considered by many the ultimate for of personal expression and Motorola thinks it can capitalize on that idea, with the Tattoo concept. With so many Motorola imitators, can we expect to see tattooed devices springing up everywhere else? Probably too soon to tell. No word on pricing or carriers for the tattoo RAZR’s just yet.