Siemens and NEC Win 3G Contract

Siemens and its 3G partner NEC have announced that they are assisting Hutchison 3G Ireland in deploying its W-CDMA network. The announcement represents the eighth Hutchison 3G network deployment that NEC and Siemens have been involved in. As the supplier of 3 Ireland's W-CDMA/UMTS radio access network (UTRAN), the contract includes the delivery of a full complement of Node-B radio base stations and radio network controllers with an aim to providing ubiquitous 3G network coverage for 3 customers around Ireland. 3 formally launched its 3G service in Ireland last month, and currently provides 3G coverage for 60% of the Irish population, and voice and text coverage for 99.5% of the population.

NEC will also deliver a large number of units of its point-to-point wireless access system "PASOLINK". PASOLINK is a PDH/SDH microwave system and, due to the rapid expansion of mobile networks globally, operators are deploying "PASOLINK" to connect radio base stations to facilitate the reliable and speedy installation of 3G mobile infrastructure. Worldwide sales of NEC's PASOLINK exceeded 200,000 units in 2004.

According to According to Katsuhiro Nakagawa, Associate Senior Vice President of NEC Mobile Solutions Operations Unit "This latest contract is a clear testimony to the continuing success of the highly effective 3G network provided by NEC and Siemens for Hutchison. Since Europe's first commercial service launch, by Hutchison 3G in March 2003, we have delivered a good many 3G networks to Hutchison. I believe that our achievement has been evaluated and led NEC to become a major supplier for 3 Ireland. Our on-going close co-operation enables us to continue to maximize Hutchison's competitive position in the marketplace and really differentiate the 3 brand globally as it rolls out more and more innovative 3G services worldwide."

Market independent industry analysts position NEC and Siemens in the 3G/W-CDMA market as No.1 with regard to commercially installed radio base stations - Node - Bs (source: Multimedia Research Institute, Tokyo, April 05)."

Posted to the site on 18th August 2005