Telenor overhauls wireless network

Norwegian carrier Telenor is overhauling its entire mobile phone infrastructure appointing Huawei and Starent Networks as the vendors for the project.
 
While the carrier would not disclose the cost of the investment it did say that it would represent a “moderate increase in investments over the next two years, and thereafter improve our cost and capex structure.”
 
"This is the biggest upgrade of the mobile network in Norway we have ever carried out. It will create a solid and flexible base for further developing the services offered by the Telenor mobile network and the quality of those services. Our aim is to provide customers with better, more innovative services across the country. This means better in terms of capacity, speed and stability," said Telenor Norway head Ragnar Karhus.
 
The network overhaul includes multi-base stations for 2G, 3G/UMTS and 4G/LTE.  
The new vendors were selected following a competitive tender process.
 
"All the providers were evenly matched, but in the end Huawei and Starent Networks emerged as the winners. It was a combination of technical quality, reliability in terms of handling a large-scale equipment replacement operation and commercial terms that was the deciding factor," said Karhus.
 
The vendor agreements will run for six years and still require final approval by the Board of Directors at Telenor.