Banglalink awards charging system upgrade to Ericsson (Bangladesh, Sweden)
Banglalink, one of Bangladesh’s leading mobile phone operators, today announced that it has entered into a five-year agreement with Ericsson to upgrade its charging system, including IN expansion, consulting and systems integration services, as well as support. The upgraded charging system will enable Banglalink to offer subscribers new and innovative value-added services.
Thanks to Ericsson’s consulting and systems integration services, Banglalink’s upgraded solution will feature geographical redundancy, meaning that it will remain functional in the event of any natural disasters or network outages. To date, more than 90 percent of Bangladesh’s mobile subscribers belong to the prepaid segment.
Mohammed Osman, Acting CEO and Chief Financial Officer of Banglalink, said that this is why they wanted to get a powerful unified, consolidated and standard solution that provides them with a competitive edge in prepaid services. This upgrade will also make it easier for them to adopt a convergent prepaid and postpaid billing system in the future. More importantly, it gives them the ability to quickly launch new value-added products and services.
By integrating the Ericsson OSS Navigator with the Ericsson Charging System, Banglalink will benefit from more effective network monitoring and improved service-aware network management. It will also have access to a combination of business and network data that will provide a holistic overview of end users and network efficiency. As a result, Banglalink will be able to develop innovative subscriber plans based on end-user behaviors and network capabilities.
Per-Henrik Nielsen, President of Ericsson Bangladesh, said that they are pleased to provide Banglalink with a robust charging system that will help bring more innovative services to its subscribers. They are also confident that this upgrade to the charging system will strengthen Banglalink’s relationships with its customers.
Tele2 partners with Nokia Siemens for 4G network (Sweden)
Tele2 customers in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will soon enjoy superior mobile broadband with faster data speeds and improved coverage. Nokia Siemens Networks has been selected as the sole supplier of the operator’s 4G, LTE (long term evolution) radio and core network. In addition, the company will modernize and expand Tele2’s GSM and 3G networks. The 4G deployment and network modernization will be enabled using Nokia Siemens Networks’ Single RAN (radio access network) and Liquid Core technology.
Niklas Sonkin, Central Europe and Eurasia market area director, Tele2, said that they wanted to further improve the coverage and quality of mobile services for their customers by expanding and upgrading their existing networks to the latest technology. In addition, with increased adoption of smart devices and demand for high speed data services, they want to build LTE networks in the Baltics. Nokia Siemens Networks’ advanced radio and core platforms will ensure reliable network connections and high speed mobile broadband services for customers. With the company’s Single RAN, they will soon be able to launch LTE services, efficiently utilizing different frequency bands.
Armando Almeida, head of Europe and Africa customers at Nokia Siemens Networks, said that it is critical for operators such as Tele2 to upgrade their existing networks with future proof technologies to save equipment and operational costs today and tomorrow. Further, their flexible, scalable, energy-efficient radio access network is capable of supporting the current and future network capacity needs of Tele2. Their Liquid Core platform will help Tele2 intelligently manage its network traffic in real time and provide the best user experience across the three countries.
Under the contract, Nokia Siemens Networks is providing Tele2 with its advanced radio and core network elements to modernize and expand its networks, and build high speed LTE network in the Baltics. As part of its radio network, the company is providing its compact, award-winning Flexi Multiradio Base Stations, multi controller radio network controllers (mcRNC) and multi controller base station controllers (mc BSC).
As part of its core network, the company is providing its voice core network elements including its Liquid Core based open Mobile Switching Centre Server (MSS) and open Media Gateway (MGW). In addition, the company is providing its Evolved Packet Core (EPC) platform, including Flexi NS (network server), Flexi NG (network gateway) and Liquid Core based SGSN (serving GPRS support node.
Nokia Siemens Networks is also providing its network management system, NetAct to efficiently monitor, optimize and configure the operator’s network. The company is also supplying its subscriber data management (SDM) solution, including One-NDS real-time subscriber data repository and data-less Home Location Register, to consolidate the operators’ subscriber data from across their networks. In addition, the company is providing its planning, optimization, implementation and care services for a smooth upgrade and expansion of Tele2’s networks.
Telenor and BCG study: mHealth to change the face of healthcare (Norway)
The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), in cooperation with Telenor Group, has now released the complete report on the “Socio-Economic Impact of Mobile Health”. The report explores the potential impact of mHealth solutions, such as how Norway can save $2 billion each year with remote monitoring solutions for the elderly and how Thailand can cure 40,000 cases of tuberculosis through SMS treatment compliance.
The report dives into the healthcare situations in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Thailand, Malaysia, Russia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India. It presents potential solutions for each of these markets that are possible through mobile communications.
Jon Fredrik Baksaas, CEO, Telenor Group, has said that they commissioned this report because they wanted to better understand how their solutions can help improve the healthcare situations in the countries where we operate. For instance, how can they increase efficiency in modern healthcare through remote monitoring solutions that enable the elderly people to live longer in their own homes?
The most notable healthcare challenges faced in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Hungary, Serbia and Montenegro include their aging population and the rising costs of healthcare services. Solutions such as home monitoring aided by mobile technology can keep the elderly in their homes longer, easing the burden on care facilities. However, barriers to widespread mHealth solutions include privacy issues, interoperability challenges when sharing information electronically, and the lack of industry incentive when remuneration is often dependent on nights actually spent in the hospital, nursing facility or face-to-face consultations.
As countries in transition, Malaysia, Russia and Thailand face shared difficulty in ensuring proper maternal health and infant care, combating communicable diseases, and confronting new challenges such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Remote diagnostics and remote patient monitoring can be critical to bringing healthcare to the rural populations in these countries. However, the lack of common standards can prevent the spread of mHealth, along with limited commitment from regulatory bodies to ensure that mHealth happens.
Nations such as Bangladesh, Pakistan and India are struggling to deliver affordable healthcare to their citizens. Their resources are limited and much of their population is rural. mHealth deployment is currently limited in these countries, partly due to lack of awareness and action from the regulatory bodies. From maternal and infant health challenges to reducing disease, these countries need cost-efficient and widespread solutions that will help their citizens live longer and healthier. mHealth can fill these gaps, but access to mobile services needs to improve, along with government commitment and the creation of incentives to encourage the spread of mHealth.
Baksaas said that mHealth can be one of the keys to redefining and reinvigorating their struggling healthcare systems, as well as enhancing the healthy lifestyles and longevity of the citizens. The telecommunications industry is well-positioned to play a central role in the evolution of mobile health solutions worldwide.
Ericsson wins LTE contract with SoftBank Mobile (Japan, Sweden)
Video-sharing and streaming in high definition, facilitated mobility and richer multimedia content, enhanced security and improved latency are one of the many advantages that LTE users could enjoy. And soon SoftBank Mobile’s subscribers will be able to share these advantages, thanks to a new LTE network contract signed by SoftBank Mobile with Ericsson. The Ericsson network will cover Japan’s major cities – Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya – which together account for 70 percent of the country’s total data and voice traffic. SoftBank Mobile is currently Japan’s third-largest mobile operator, with more than 29 million subscribers.
Ericsson will upgrade SoftBank Mobile’s packet core network, including systems integration and deployment of an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) solution, and build a new LTE radio access network using RBS 6000 multi-standard base stations. This will allow SoftBank Mobile users to experience the best possible networks in one of the world’s most densely populated areas such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya.
Junichi Miyakawa, Executive Vice President, Director and CTO of SoftBank Mobile Corp., says that to fulfill their customers’ expectations, they continue to improve their networks. With LTE, customers get increased speed and decreased latency, while they will enjoy a wide range of new services and applications. With Ericsson’s support, they will be able to offer their customers high quality LTE services.
Jan Signell, President of Ericsson Japan, said that during 2012, many new smartphones, notebooks and tablets with LTE capabilities will be launched in Japan. This will lead to a strong increase in consumer demand for higher data speeds and throughput – a demand that SoftBank Mobile will be able to meet thanks to the state-of-the-art LTE network that we will rapidly deploy.
Ericsson has signed 45 LTE/EPC contracts in 23 countries on five continents. The global LTE population coverage is 325 million, of which 215 million are covered by Ericsson networks. LTE, the next generation of mobile communication technology, enables the fast transfer of huge amounts of data in an efficient and cost-effective way, optimizing the use of the frequency spectrum. With increased speed and decreased latency, consumers can enjoy a wide range of applications – such as lag-free web browsing, online gaming, social media and video conferencing – effortlessly, while on the move. LTE will meet the demands of new and enhanced mobile internet applications of the future.
Ericsson continues to drive open standards and has had the greatest influence on the LTE specifications released to date. Ericsson expects to hold 25 percent of all essential patents related to LTE, which will make it the standard’s largest single patent holder.
TeliaSonera in discussions regarding ownership structure in MegaFon (Sweden, Russia)
Mobile operator TeliaSonera confirmed that discussions are held between TeliaSonera, AF Telecom and Altimo regarding the future ownership structure and governance of MegaFon. These discussions have so far not led to any agreement, but if and when an agreement is reached, TeliaSonera will present information in accordance with the relevant stock exchange rules.
The operator issued a statement to the media owing to increasing media speculation. At present, TeliaSonera holds a stake of 43.8 percent in MegaFon.
TeliaSonera acquires Svenska Stadsnat AB (Sweden)
Telecom operator TeliaSonera has acquired all shares in Svenska Stadsnät AB, a company providing fiber capacity to municipalities, companies and households, according to a company report. The price for the acquisition is not disclosed.
For 2011 net sales in Svenska Stadsnät amounted to US$ 7.9 million. The company has operations in seven municipalities: Laholm, Svalöv, Örkelljunga, Karlshamn, Gislaved, Gnosjö and Mölndal.
Malin Frenning, President of Business area Broadband Services in TeliaSonera said that Svenska Stadsnät has an open-minded and customer focused culture where service providers can act in an open competitive environment and at equal terms, which is in line with their ambitions. Their network complements TeliaSonera very well, and Svenska Stadsnät has successfully established good relations with the municipalities.
The possibility to deliver high capacity to many Swedes in an open fiber network is the core of the development of the fiber market, an ambition in common for TeliaSonera and Svenska Stadsnät.
Börje Andersson, Chairman of the Board of Svenska Stadsnät, said that with TeliaSonera as a new owner, their business will get the financial resources that a future roll-out requires. As TeliaSonera develops its open model even further, their network and employees will get into the right environment
TeliaSonera’s wholly-owned subsidiary Skanova will take the operational control in the business and consolidate Svenska Stadsnät into its reporting. Initially the business will continue as today. Over time the framework will be evaluated and developed with the aim to give both TeliaSonera’s and Svenska Stadsnät’s customers a high quality experience. The current management will continue to develop the company’s business concept and Jimmy Andreasson, CEO of Svenska Stadsnät, will take part in the management team of Skanova.
TeliaSonera leads with maximum subscribers on its 4G network (Sweden)
Mobile network operator TeliaSonera has emerged as the leading operator for 4G wireless services in Sweden, with over 100,000 customers on its 4G network.
According to a report by BN, Haakan Dahlstroem, head of mobility services, TeliaSonera, said in an interview, that the company began offering 4G in Stockholm and Oslo in December 2009, knowing that devices for users would be slow to arrive. He said that after being late to market with 3G mobile broadband, the provider wanted to signal to business customers that it would invest to have the most advanced network for their laptops and tablets.
The report added that Dahlstroem said that when they took the decision to be early with 4G it was based more on image than on network offload. He added that changes will happen over a long time. Further, the majority of terminals on their network are 3G but they still have a lot of 2G out there.
As per the interview, Haakan expects to launch the operator’s first Samsung Electronics Co. 4G handset in Sweden by this week.
With data demand consistently increasing, telecom operators have been upgrading their networks to support the demand and retain their customer base. 4G wireless services offer users faster transfer speeds enabling them to stream videos and movies online in a smooth and uninterrupted manner.
As per the report, Dahlstroem said that the majority of Nordic 4G customers are in Sweden. Further, the operator also offers 4G in Finland and Denmark, and has very small numbers of 4G customers in the Baltics.
He added that problems with low data throughput, dropped calls and poor coverage in the Danish network have been solved. Also, capabilities for voice calls with 4G are likely to be added in 2013. Finally, he claimed that TeliaSonera is continuing to increase capacity in the 3G network while it expands coverage in the 4G network.
MTN extends managed services contract with Ericsson (Africa, Sweden)
South-Africa based mobile telecommunications company MTN has extended its managed services contract with Sweden’s Ericsson for its Ghana operations. According to company reports, the contract was originally signed between the two companies in 2009 for the roll-out of MTN’s 3G network in Ghana. As per the agreement, MTN will retain full ownership of the network and responsibility for its strategic direction, while Ericsson will manage the network operations, optimization and field maintenance for MTN’s 3G sites.
Jon Hoffmann, Chief Technical officer, MTN Ghana said that their first two years together achieved the results they were hoping for: they could focus on subscriber growth, and Ericsson delivered network reliability and efficiencies.
Valter D Avino, Head of Managed Services, Ericsson, has said that MTN and Ericsson collaborate in many areas across this and other regions for several years now and in Ghana they are especially pleased to have been part of the journey towards 10 million subscribers. With Ericsson continuing to run the operations of the network, MTN will be able to dedicate even more time and focus on delivering innovative products and services relevant to the needs of their customers.
Zain signs network outsourcing deal with Ericsson (Middle East)
Zain, a leading telecom operator in the Middle East, has reportedly signed a network outsourcing deal with Sweden based Ericsson worth $650 million, in an attempt to improve the quality of its network.
According to reports, under the five year deal, Ericsson will manage Zain Iraq’s mobile network and IT operations and is the next step towards the operator launching third generation (3G) services. Further, Zain has reportedly said that the agreement covers Zain Iraq’s 3,700 network sites, including the Kurdish north where the operator recently launched commercial services, and will enable it to reduce operating costs and bring products and services to market quicker.
The operator claims that this agreement is a significant deal for Zain as it is expected to enhance the company’s competitiveness in the Iraqi market.
Telefonica signs network sharing agreement with China Unicom (Spain, China)
Spanish telecom operator Telefonica has reportedly entered into a strategic partnership with China Unicom, wherein both operators will use each other’s networks to expand their coverage. According to reports, the deal will provide Telefonica access to China Unicom’s network in the regions of Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Australia, France and Sweden.
In return, China Unicom can reportedly increase its presence through Telefonica’s network in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, Venezuela, Mexico, USA, Puerto Rico, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria Denmark, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Morocco, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland.
Reports suggest that Telefonica believes this agreement will help both operators expand their capabilities to provide telecom services to various customers in different geographic areas.
