China can become Ericsson’s largest market in the world this year, says Jan Malm, President of Ericsson China in light of the recent deals. The contracts will include expansion of the GSM network in several provinces in China, as well as developing the IP backbone in Beijing and Shandong, Hebei and Yunnan provinces.
Ericsson’s President and CEO, Kurt Hellstrom, attending the signing ceremonies in Beijing and other cities said: I am honored that Ericsson is once more selected as one of the leading partners in the continuing advancement of telecommunications in China. These GSM, multi-service and IP backbone projects are further evidence of the solid, long-term cooperation established between Ericsson and Chinese telecommunications operators.
In one of the more comprehensive contracts of the package, Ericsson will supply radio and switching infrastructure elements, prepaid systems, network planning and operational support services and customer and project services in a GSM expansion contract with Shandong Mobile. Ericsson is the sole supplier in the fast growing GSM market in Shandong Province with a population of over 90 million.
Yunnan Unicom has also chosen Ericsson as sole supplier of their mobile communications infrastructure in all four previous GSM expansion projects. In the latest deal, Ericsson will supply Yunnan Unicom with equipment and related services in a turnkey project to be completed in June for their fifth GSM expansion.
In contracts with Chongqing Mobile, Jiangsu Mobile and Xinjiang Mobile, Ericsson will supply equipment, training and/or project services for the three companies’ GSM expansion projects.
