Ericsson sets up RAN software R&D unit in Bengaluru to boost 5G innovation

Swedish telecom major Ericsson on Thursday announced the establishment of a new Radio Access Network (RAN) Software Research and Development (R&D) unit in Bengaluru, expanding its engineering footprint in India. The new centre will focus on developing 5G and 5G Advanced software features for Ericsson’s baseband portfolio in close collaboration with its global RAN software teams.

The initiative marks another milestone in Ericsson’s growing R&D presence in the country and follows a series of recent investments aimed at building India’s role in global telecom innovation. Bengaluru, known for its strong software engineering ecosystem and skilled workforce, will play a key role in advancing the company’s global R&D strategy.

Nitin Bansal, Managing Director, Ericsson India and Head of Network Solutions, Market Area South East Asia, Oceania and India, said the new unit represents a significant step in strengthening Ericsson’s R&D operations in India. “Even as we leverage Indian software talent, we are contributing to building the knowledge base and the telecom ecosystem in the country,” he said.

David Bjore, Head of RAN Software and Compute Platforms, Ericsson, said the investment underscores the importance of India in the company’s next-generation technology roadmap. “We’re building on the strong partnerships we’ve formed in Bengaluru, Chennai and Gurugram, and for the first time, we’re developing this RAN software ourselves in India. This is a significant step as it supports India’s rising tech scene while creating solutions with global impact,” he added.

The Bengaluru centre is part of Ericsson’s broader R&D expansion in India, which includes the ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) development initiative announced in June 2025 to support the country’s semiconductor ecosystem. The company has also partnered with Volvo and Airtel to integrate Extended Reality (XR) and Digital Twin technologies at Volvo’s Bengaluru R&D facility, and with IIT Madras on Responsible AI frameworks for 6G networks. Additional collaborations with the Indian Statistical Institute and IIT Kharagpur focus on cyber-physical systems, AI-driven networks, secure communications and edge computing.

Ericsson, which has been present in India for decades, operates three major R&D centres in Chennai, Bengaluru and Gurugram, spanning domains such as Transport, Packet Core, OSS/BSS, Cloud and AI. The company invests around USD 5 billion annually in R&D globally. The latest investment further reinforces India’s strategic role in Ericsson’s mission to shape the future of 5G and emerging 6G technologies.