Celcom awards NSN three-year contract for LTE rollout

• NSN to provide network infrastructure for 4G, refarming services for the 1800 MHz GSM band
• Under the 3yr contract, NSN will transform Celcom’s Klang Valley network to a Single Radio Access Network

CELCOM Axiata Berhad (Celcom), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Axiata Group Berhad, has awarded Nokia Solutions and Networks (NSN) a three-year contract for its LTE (Long Term Evolution) solutions and services in the Klang Valley, which comprises Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding suburbs.
 
NSN will supply the network infrastructure for the 2600 MHz and 1800 MHz frequency bands for LTE services, and refarming services for its 1800 MHz GSM band.
 
This would enhance user experience by providing higher throughput and better performance in the multi-technology environment, NSN said in a statement.
 
With 4G network data speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G networks, Celcom users can enjoy a superior mobile data experience while using bandwidth-intensive applications such as video streaming and online applications in real time, said NSN, which was formerly known as Nokia Siemens Network and is now wholly owned by Nokia Corp.
 
“Celcom’s Klang Valley network upgrades underline our commitment to delivering a superior service experience to our subscribers who will increasingly enjoy the results of our extensive LTE investments and rollouts throughout Malaysia,” said Celcom chief executive officer Shazalli Ramly (pic).
 
“NSN’s consistency in providing quality infrastructure and services support was a key fit in our network blueprint for superior coverage across spectrums and the best end-user experience,” he added.
 
Under the three-year contract, NSN will be transforming Celcom’s entire Klang Valley network to a Single RAN (Single Radio Access Network) system based on its compact, high-capacity Flexi Multiradio 10 Base Station for GSM, 3G and LTE.
 
The base station enables an easy and cost-effective site upgrade to LTE using NSN’s NetAct network management system, which provides consolidated management for Celcom’s network.
 
The deal also includes intelligent Self Organising Network (iSON) functionality to improve LTE network quality with self-healing, self-optimisation and self-configuration across the radio network.
 
NSN will also provide Celcom with refarming services for the 1800 MHz GSM band, desktop planning, pre-optimisation services, and operational services for process alignment, support and engineering.
 
“This project is another important milestone in our long-standing and well-established relationship with Celcom in Malaysia,” said Paul Tyler, senior vice president of Asia Pacific at NSN.
 
“We will continue to support Celcom in its endeavor to create a future-ready communications infrastructure in Malaysia,” he added.
 
As of today, NSN has 92 commercial references for the delivery of LTE with leading customers in advanced mobile broadband markets such as Northern Europe, Japan, South Korea and the United States.
 
Related Stories:
 
Celcom takes 20% stake in MVNO Merchantrade
 
In Q2, Celcom surpasses RM2-bil revenue mark for first time
 
LTE ushers in new challenges for operators: Alcatel-Lucent
 
‘Vendor-operator landscape is broken’
 
 
For more technology news and the latest updates, follow @dnewsasia on Twitter or Like us on Facebook.