ZTE terminal products sales up by 50%
ZTE Corp. has revealed that its sales of terminal products increased nearly 50% in 2010 to 90 million units, and the company aims to become one of the world’s top three handset vendors in five years.
According to ZTE, it is expected to sell 120 million terminal units this year, without saying if that number is an internal goal.
Terminal products include mobile handsets as well as plug-in data devices that let a computer access the Internet via a cellular network.
Batelco inks international group framework agreement with ZTE (Bahrain)
Bahrain-based Batelco has signed an international group framework agreement with Chinese telecoms equipment provider ZTE Corp.
Under the agreement, ZTE will supply 2G and 3G wireless network solutions to Batelco’s subsidiaries and affiliated companies. As per the agreement, it aims to include reducing Batelco’s capital and operating expenditure whilst supporting its international expansion strategy and mobile broadband development.
The Batelco group accounted for around 7.5 million mobile subscribers across Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and India as of end-September 2010.
Previously, ZTE has deployed a core network for Batelco’s Go Telecom unit in Saudi Arabia, whilst at another group affiliate, India’s STel, ZTE project managed a network launch across various circles, with more than 3,000 sites on air to date. In Jordan, ZTE is already delivering GSM equipment for Umniah’s mobile network.
Nokia Siemens can’t meet Indian security demands
Finland’s Communication Minister Suvi Linden has stated that Nokia Siemens Networks, the network-equipment joint venture of Nokia Oyj and Siemens AG, finds India’s demand to get access to hardware and software design documents impossible to meet.
According to Suvi Linden, Finland can understand that India wants to be careful with network security, but it is important that restrictions are not too tough so that companies can’t be here.
India altered its phone-license rules this year, requiring equipment vendors to allow authorities to inspect telecommunication source code in design documents for security threats. Escrow accounts were proposed as a mechanism for this. The country this year blocked Chinese companies Huawei Technologies Co. and ZTE Corp. from selling equipment to domestic phone carriers, citing espionage concerns.
According to Nokia Siemens spokesman Ben Roome, the escrowing of their source code is unacceptable to them as an option for meeting security concerns in India. They have suggested alternate means and are hopeful that the Indian government will consider those suggestions.
According to the new license rules released in July, mobile phone companies would face a penalty equivalent to the value of their equipment contracts if inspectors find security breaches.
Ericsson refuse to bid for BSNL tender (India)
Ericsson, one of BSNL’s present GSM vendors, has refused to bid for BSNL’s $450 million GSM supply tender, arguing against the government’s demands for vendors to share their hardware and software codes.
As per the proposed new security rules, foreign vendors are required to place software and hardware designs into escrow for possible scrutiny by security authorities in order to participate in network infrastructure tenders.
The rules have been put on hold, but they put the responsibility for fulfillment on operators, with and specify tough penalties for breaches. This has left operators with a strong incentive to ensure compliance.
As per the reports, Ericsson claimed that it was still in talks with Indian officials over the escrow concept, and therefore refused to stick to the requirement.
The report further revealed that the length of BSNL’s process for deciding winners of major tenders also discouraged Ericsson from participating.
According to the BSNL officials, Alcatel-Lucent, Nokia Siemens Networks as well as China’s Huawei Technologies Co. and ZTE Corp. have submitted bids to supply equipment for the state-run Indian telecom company’s project to add 5.5 million wireless users to its network.
The BSNL tender, one of the largest in the industry, is just a portion of what was claimed to be the world’s biggest network contract this year, a US$10 billion, 93 million line GSM tender which was canceled on the recommendation of a high-level government committee.
The operator had been trying to get the expansion off the ground since May 2008, but controversy over the lack of competition for such a large deal spoiled the project. Ericsson would have rolled out 38 million lines in a segment of the abandoned deal which would have been worth US$2.5 billion.
The current smaller project involves rolling out 3.4 million lines in north India, and 2.1 million in the south. BSNL is assessing the bids, and a final decision is expected by the end of the month.
Sistema Shyam (MTS) to invest USD 55 Mn
Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited (SSTL), a joint venture company between Russia’s Sistema and Shyam Group of India, will be investing USD 55 Mn to expand its code division multiple access (CDMA) network in one of the southern states in India (Andhra Pradesh) by the end of this year.
MTS India has successfully launched in 12 circles now and MTS India CEO, Vsevolod Rozanov, said the plan for this year was to complete all the 22 circles with an investment of over USD 1.1 Bn.
Currently, MTS India has 4.5 million subscribers, including 72,000 for high-speed data services. Data is the future of our company and is clearly a differential business model than other aggregators. We expect data services to account for one-third of our revenues and achieve break-even by 2013,†Rozanov told Business Standard in India.
Replying to a query, Rozanov said the company would switch to another vendor if China-based Huawei Technologies’ products were not allowed into India.
It may be recalled that the Indian government has blocked Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corporation from selling telecom network equipment to domestic phone carriers due to security reasons.
BSNL’s board decides to scrap GSM deal (India)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A tender worth $6 billion to supply equipment for 93 million mobile phone lines on the global system for mobile communications, or GSM, platform has been decided to be scraped by the board of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.
Scarcity of GSM lines have been suffered by the state run Indian telco, in its bid to increase its subscriber’s addition pace to match the bigger rivals Bharti Airtel Ltd., Reliance Communications Ltd. and privately held Vodafone Essar Ltd.
A report submitted to the Indian government by a panel set up for the restructuring of BSNL and led by, adviser to the country’s Prime Minister Sam Pitroda led to this decision. Changes in BSNL’s procurement processes and procedures have been suggested by the panel in consultation with the Central Vigilance Commission, the country’s federal corruption regulator.
It has also been alleged that the cancelling of the whole tender process has also been suggested by the panel.
Controversies hit the much-delayed tender due to various issues including legal and government directives right from the start. First BSNL was dragged to the local court by the telecom equipment maker Nokia Siemens Networks after it was disqualified for the tender, as it didn’t meet “techno-commercial criteria.
L.M. Ericsson Telephone Co., Huawei Technologies Co, Alcatel-Lucent, ZTE Corp. and Nortel Networks Corp included in the list of bidders.
Singtel will join ZTE for Long Term Evolution trials (Philippines)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: For carrying out Long Term Evolution (LTE) trials in the Philippines, ZTE Corp, a Chinese equipment vendor has planned to work with Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) affiliate, Globe Telecom.
The intention behind the tie up is to develop strategic management of the network as well as long-term planning for LTE network infrastructure projects. A trail will be conducted in the early 2010 for six to nine month in order to assess market demand for broadband access services.
Earlier, SingTel announced it wanted to conduct regional trials of LTE technology in Australia, Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore in collaboration with Telkomsel, Optus, and Globe Telecom. Through this step the company hopes its regional partners and joint ventures will better understand the approach and strategy behind the adoption of LTE in the regional markets.
The trail also aims at wide range of scenarios, including different urban environments and frequency bands.
BT and ZTE To Develop 3G Mobile TV Phone
BT has announced that it has signed an agreement with ZTE, a provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, to develop the 3G mobile handset compatible with BT Movio’s wholesale mobile entertainment service.
The phone will enable 3G mobile operators to offer BT Movio’s broadcast mobile TV and DAB digital radio service, ideal for live, mass-market channels, alongside existing video-on-demand services and niche channels over their 3G networks. Consumers will not have to worry about which technology to choose; they will simply see a wider selection of channels and services, and will be able to enjoy them in clear, digital quality.
The agreement was signed at a ceremony in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to mark the occasion of Chinese Premier Wen’s official visit to the UK. The agreement closely follows the commercial launch of BT Movio in the UK last week, in which BT Movio was confirmed as the first wholesale service in the world to offer a service consisting of mobile TV, DAB digital radio, 7-day programme guide and ‘red button’ interactivity for mobile phones.
ZTE will develop and supply multi-mode 3G/DAB-IP enabled handsets to further extend the portfolio of devices capable of supporting the BT Movio service.
Source- http://www.wirelessinsightasia.com
Technorati : BT, Mobile, ZTE Corp.
Ice Rocket : BT, Mobile, ZTE Corp.
BSNL launches wireless CDMA mobile network
BANGALORE: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) on Tuesday commissioned a state-of-the-art wireless mobile switching centre-based Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) mobile network system for the city, with 35 towers. It allows subscribers to exchange SMS and connect to the internet at 144 kbps even while on the move.
It would be expanded in six months with additional towers to extend the coverage and meet additional demand. At present, the network with equipment from M/s ZTE Corporation, provided coverage for the entire urban area of Bangalore Telecom District, BSNL Chief General Manager, Karnataka Circle, S. Ramaganapathy said at the launch of the network here on Tuesday.
With this, BSNL could provide new connections and effect shifts without much delay in any part of the city, he said.
To improve rural tele-density, a CDMA main switching centre was also commissioned in Mangalore. This is the third CDMA main exchange in the State after Bangalore and Dharwad. With this, an extra capacity of 37,500 WLL (Wireless in Local Loop) lines had been generated in the State, he said.
Mr. Ramaganapathy commissioned three additional CDMA main switches with a capacity of 1.8 lakh lines and 240 additional CDMA towers. Supply of these equipment was expected by January 2007, he said.
To reduce the cable length of the existing telephone connections in the city, a part of the exchange could be removed and taken to a distant place and connected by optical fibre. Such Remote Switching Units (RSU) helped in improving the quality of performance by reducing the length of copper cable used, he said. Last year, 10 remote exchanges were opened with a total capacity of 20,000 lines at Kalasipalya, Shobha Apartments, Astra Zeneca, ABB, Basavanagudi DTO, RMZ, Rajajinagar 6th block, Malleswaram DTO, Thanisandra and Sultanpet.
Fifteen more RMUs were to be introduced in the Bangalore network during the current financial year and 50 more in the next, he said. Mr. Ramaganapathy said that BSNL proposed to introduce more RSUs and lay polythene insulated jelly-filled cable to eliminate fault-prone paper insulated copper cable from the Bangalore network. The improved network would enable provision of two lakh more broadband connections in the city, he said.
Source- http://www.hindu.com
Technorati : BSNL, CDMA, India, Mobile
Ice Rocket : BSNL, CDMA, India, Mobile
