O2 UK has awarded significant network upgrade contacts to Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) to improve voice and data capacity across the country. While the value of the deals was not disclosed, both companies have been requested to supply infrastructure equipment that will support HSPA, and be compatible with a migration to LTE.
Ericsson said that it had been selected to upgrade O2 network in the north of the UK with multi-standard base stations, while also acting as O2's sole supplier of core network infrastructure. Ericsson said that this new core would include its "mobile softswitch solution", which it claims would provide O2 UK with greater flexibility in the management of the infrastructure and achieve operational efficiencies.
NSN said that its contract would now mean that its equipment provided cover to 75 per cent of O2 UK's territory, but only two-thirds of the operators' 3G access network.
Speaking to Mobile News, NSN's head of customer team for O2, Rob Stent, said that its Flexi Multiradio base station was being delivered now and would provide O2's customers with faster data rates and better connectivity. "We will also allow support for future LTE services with a simple software upgrade."
It would appear that both suppliers have been given around three years to complete the upgrade, which also includes programme management and systems integration work.
For more:
- see this Mobile News article
- see this Telegeography article
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