Nokia Networks and China Mobile sign $ 970 million TD-LTE Deal

Nokia Networks and China Mobile have announced a framework agreement for mobile communication equipment and services valued at 970 million USD (760 million euros). The agreement was signed at the Sino-German Economic Forum in Berlin by Li Huidi, Vice President of China Mobile, and Hans-Juergen Bill, Executive Vice President at Nokia and also Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nokia Networks GmbH & Co KG in Germany.

Under the terms of the agreement, Nokia Networks will provide its 4G TD-LTE technology including Evolved Packet Core* (EPC) and GSM wireless networking equipment, core application platforms, OSS, software, and services to support China Mobile’s 4G wireless broadband network rollout in 2014 and 2015. Deliveries under the agreement commenced in Q1 of this year.

“This contract marks another milestone in the strategic partnership between China Mobile and Nokia Networks. We have been closely cooperating throughout the past years to jointly commercialize and globalize TD-LTE, and this agreement will further accelerate 4G TD-LTE development in China as well as worldwide,” said Markus Borchert, President of the Greater China region at Nokia Networks. “We have been a key global driver over the past 16 years in making TD technologies (TD-SCDMA/TD-LTE/TD-LTE-Advanced) become global standards, both of which are strong proof points of our delivery capabilities for the largest TD-LTE networks in the world. Our proven capabilities and commitment have made Nokia Networks the most reliable partner for China Mobile which is further underscored with this framework agreement.”

China Mobile, the world’s largest wireless operator, is leading China’s TD-LTE network rollout and commercialization with over 500,000 4G base stations deployed, and has the goal of building the world’s largest TD-LTE network by the end of 2014.

Nokia also received the prestigious People’s Republic of China Friendship Award hosted by the country’s State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs for its long-standing commitment and dedication to developing the TD-LTE technology standard. This is the highest level recognition awarded by the Chinese government to non-Chinese experts for their contributions to the country’s economic and social progress.

With 46 TD-LTE radio references, Nokia is supplying approximately half of all commercial TD-LTE networks globally and is the only vendor to have deployed TD-LTE on all six continents. Nokia has also established a complete TD-LTE value chain in China, including TD product headquarters, product design, R&D, testing, manufacturing, procurement, sales and marketing. Nokia Networks’ R&D site in Ulm, Germany, has contributed significantly to the company’s LTE innovation.