- Chinese telecom equipment provider ZTE said on
June 17 that it has reached an agreement with Saudi carrier Etihad Atheeb
Telecom to deploy a WiMAX network in Saudi Arabia, according to a SinoCast
Daily Business Beat report. As per the agreement, ZTE will provide customized
end-to-end networking solutions and deploy about 300 WiMAX base stations in
five major Saudi cities, including Dammam and Khobar. The deployment project is
slated for commencement this year and completion in the first quarter of 2010.
Financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed, though.
- Meanwhile, also in Saudi Arabia, Korea's
Samsung Electronics was awarded a US$100 million deal by Saudi mobile operator Etihad
Etisalat, also known as Mobily, to expand the WiMAX network of the company's
subsidiary Bayanat al-Oula, Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported on June 10.
Pursuant to the terms of the deal, Samsung will provide 1,400 WiMAX base
stations for Bayanat in 2009, bringing the total number of its WiMAX base
stations to 1,800. Through the deal with Samsung, Bayanat is expected to expand
its WiMAX network coverage from four to 20 cities. Moreover, Bayanat's WiMAX service
capacity is projected to increase threefold from the current capacity of 30,000
users.