Nortel networks Chinese air waves

BANGALORE: China Mobile has deployed core and access technology from Nortel Networks to expand and upgrade its GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) digital cellular networks in the provinces of Shaanxi, Hebei and Liaoning, and in Tianjin Municipality and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The deployments took place under a series of contracts signed in the second and third quarters of 2003 and collectively estimated to be worth US$60 million.

The expansion has positioned China Mobile to increase network capacity and expand network coverage. It has also helped to position China Mobile to drive new revenue opportunities with advanced wireless services like short message service, calling paid and caller paid service.

"Nortel Networks strives for such ‘win-win’ situations with all of its customers by providing among the most up-to-date and innovative technical solutions that enable delivery of new, revenue-generating services," said Robert Mao, president and chief executive officer, Greater China, Nortel Networks.

Nortel Networks has deployed wireless networks in 17 of China’s 31 provinces. This includes GSM digital infrastructure equipment for China Mobile in the provinces of Hebei, Shaanxi, Tianjin, Xinjiang, Guizhou, Anhui, Liaoning, and Hunan.

Nortel Networks has deployed approximately 100 GSM/GPRS networks in more than 50 countries, and is supplying GSM/GPRS systems to more than 50 operators around the world. Nortel Networks is the industry’s only supplier with Wireless Networks operating in all three advanced technologies — GPRS/EDGE, CDMA2000 1xEV-DO, and UMTS. As a Fortune 500 firm, China Mobile is China’s largest wireless carrier in terms of network capacity.

Mainly supplying mobile telephony, data, IP (Internet Protocol) telephony and multimedia services, China Mobile also provides Internet, fax, data, handset banking, Global Access WAP and a host of other value-added services in addition to basic voice. China Mobile (HK) Co Ltd, in which China Mobile holds major stakes, has issued its shares in Hong Kong and New York.