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Avea Signs Three 3G Suppliers
(07 Apr 2009, BWCS Staff)Turk Telecom mobile subsidiary, Avea, has signed up with three partners to produce its new 3G network, the company announced yesterday. The company, which has over 12 million mobile customers, said it has signed contracts with Ericsson to install 3G base stations in western Turkey. It has also signed up with Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE to provide it with network infrastructure. ZTE will supply kit for the southeast and east of the country, while Huawei will build 3G base stations across the central Anatolian region and on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey.
Commenting on the agreement, Ericsson said that its deal, at least, was for four years and included provision for an HSPA network. The Swedish company said in a statement "Under the agreement, Ericsson will be one of the main suppliers and will integrate and deploy WCDMA/HSPA radio access and packet core networks, as well as a complete mobile-backhaul solution based on microwave transmission and optical transport." The vendor said it will also expand and upgrade the speed and capacity of Avea's existing GSM network.
Turkey has one of the highest rates for mobile phone usage in Europe and operators there are keen to get their 3G networks up and running. Avea was one of the successful applicants for 3G licences last year in Turkey along with Turkcell and Vodafone.
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