Processing .....please wait.. 
The article has been forwarded.... 
Airtel signs $900 million deal with NSN
By siliconindia
|
Wednesday, 04 July 2007, 19:30 IST
Mumbai: Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) has received a contract of $900 million from Bharti Airtel for the expansion of its wireless and fixed line services. NSN will expand Airtel's GSM network in eight circles, its national long distance (NLD) and international long distance (ILD) network with 1.8 million next-generation network (NGN) ports - the largest-ever NGN contract in the country - and its international calling card pre-paid service capacity of 4.5 million new users. The GSM and the NGN expansions were planned over two years and the expansion of international calling cards over three years.
Manoj Kohli, President and CEO, Bharti Airtel, and Simon Beresford-Wylie, CEO, Nokia Siemens Networks has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to seal the contract.
Commenting on the partnership, Kohli said, "Bharti Airtel is undertaking a massive expansion and integration exercise across its mobile and fixed networks to augment its service delivery capacity significantly. Today's comprehensive network expansion contract is a reflection of this vision."
"Nokia Siemens Networks has the experience and expertise in delivering integrated solutions and services and will enable Bharti Airtel to tap new market opportunities driven by convergence, optimise network performance and costs and continue to grow market share", said Beresford-Wylie.
The two-year GSM expansion will cover the eight existing circles of Mumbai, Maharashtra and Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Jharkhand, Orissa, Kolkata and West Bengal, where Nokia Siemens Networks already provides equipment and managed services. The three-year international calling cards services expansion will see Airtel more than quadruple its capacity and adequately address its calling card business. The calling card pre-paid service will be supported by Nokia Siemens Networks' FlexibleIN@vantage platform for intelligent services. It also allows Bharti to increase network traffic and related revenues by addressing specific market segments and user expectations with dedicated communication solutions.
Both Nokia and Siemens have been associated with building Airtel?s mobile and fixed networks. The previous major deal for GSM expansion that was signed last year was between Nokia and Bharti valued at $400 million.