Indian Bharti Airtel has signed a three-year, US$1-billion contract with Ericsson to expand and upgrade Bharti Airtel's GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications)/GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) network, an extension of these two companies' US$400 million contract signed in 2004. Under the deal, Ericsson will help Bharti Airtel develop and deploy networks in 15 regions, including Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, UP (West), Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Chennai, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, UP (East), Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, and the North-East. Ericsson will also upgrade Bharti Airtel's network with its mobile softswitch system, helping the carrier advance toward a low-cost IP network.