Nokia will deploy base stations in 19 Chinese provinces
Finnish vendor Nokia and Chinese state-owned China Telecom signed an agreement to expand the deployment of 4G technology in 19 provinces across China to allow the operator to enhance coverage and capacity as well as the quality of experience for subscribers.
The expansion of 4G LTE infrastructure also will allow China Telecom to meet growing subscriber demand with ubiquitous 4G coverage, as well as improve access in urban and suburban areas.
Under the terms of the agreement, Nokia is deploying its 4G technology in 19 provinces in China: Shanghai, Jiangsu, Shandong, Zhejiang, Hunan, Hubei, Guangxi, Fujian, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Heilongjiang, Hebei, Henan, Sichuan, Anhui, Liaoning, Guizhou, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia.
The deal includes the vendor’s Flexi MultiRadio 10 base stations and services including project management, network design and installation. Hardware and software maintenance services also will be provided. Nokia optimization experts will use Nokia NetAct to maximize the performance of the network for subscribers.
“Our deep-rooted knowledge of the Chinese market will enable China Telecom to meet the demands of an ever-growing and dynamic 4G subscriber base,” Mike Wang, head of Nokia Networks China, said.
Nokia said that the deal also will pave the way for China Telecom to launch Voice over LTE services in 2017.
At the end of June, China Telecom had 207 million mobile subscribers, including 90 million customers in the 4G segment. During the first half of the year, the telco recorded a net addition of over 31 million 4G customers.
China Telecom predicts that 4G will account for more than 90% of mobile data traffic on the network by 2017.
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Telenor launches LTE in Pakistan’s largest cities
In other APAC news, Norwegian-owned mobile operator Telenor Pakistan has launched its 4G network in Pakistan’s six largest cities.
The network is available in selected areas of Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Multan and Faisalabad, as well as parts of the Swat district.
Telenor said that 4G services are commercially available for both prepaid and postpaid subscribers. The LTE network uses the 2×10 megahertz of spectrum in the 850 MHz band.
Also, Pakistani mobile operator Zong, which is owned by Chinese investors, announced it has recently extended its 4G LTE network to over 100 cities across the country.
Zong launched commercial LTE services in 2014 through spectrum in the 1800 MHz band.