Asia Express - Mobile Communications
Huawei Bags Norwegian Telenor's LTE Upgrade Deal
November 06, 2009
It was announced on November 5 that China's Huawei Technologies has obtained a contract from Norway's Telenor to upgrade the telecom's existing mobile networks to 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution), Reuters reported. Telenor's older GSM (Global System for Mobile communications)/UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) networks were built by Scandinavia-based Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Networks. As per the five-year contract with Telenor, Huawei is expected to replace Telenor's entire wireless network infrastructure by means of LTE technology. At the same time, US-based Starent Networks is to be responsible for the supply of mobile core network. The overall deal is valued at one billion Norwegian Kroner (US$175.4 million; US$1=5.7 Norwegian Kroner).