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NEWS
Nokia Signs USD200-million GSM
Expansion Contract with Smart Communications, Inc. in the Philippines
(August 09, 2001)
Nokia has signed an agreement valued at USD 200 million with Smart
Communications, Inc. for the expansion of its nationwide GSM network in the
Philippines. Nokia has been the sole supplier for Smart's digital mobile network
since Smart launched its GSM service in April 1999.
Under the contract, Nokia will supply and install several mobile switching
centers, home location registers, base station controllers, advanced Ultrasite
base stations, short messaging systems and a new network management system.
The Nokia Ultrasite base station solution answers the increasing demand for
higher voice and data traffic in today's mobile networks and evolution to the
Mobile Internet era. An industry-leading product, Nokia Ultrasite can support
GSM and higher level mobile communication technologies.
This expansion program will enable Smart's network to handle a subscriber base
in excess of six million subscribers by end of 2001, and up to 10 million
subscribers by 2002.
Upon the conclusion of this expansion phase, Smart expects to realize
substantial savings on a capacity-per-subscriber basis on account of the
advanced, high-capacity network facilities being deployed by Nokia.
"This expansion agreement with Nokia is vital to our efforts to further
raise service quality levels and increase our subscriber base by substantially
increasing the subscriber capacity of our network," said Napoleon L.
Nazareno, President and CEO of Smart.
Nazareno added, "This expansion program confirms our commitment to provide
our subscribers wider coverage, higher network capacity, improved service
quality and greater ease in sending text messages."
"Nokia Networks is pleased to continue our partnership with Smart
Communications. We've witnessed Smart's enthusiasm in introducing innovative
value-added services," said Markku Nieminen, Account General Manager for
Smart Communications, Inc. Nokia Networks.
"The new agreed systems solution will meet Smart's marketing requirements
and pave the path for increasingly sophisticated wireless services. In addition,
Smart will also be able to enjoy the most economical infrastructure roadmap to
an all-IP network," he added.
A subsidiary of PLDT, the Philippines' dominant telecommunications carrier,
Smart is the country's largest and fastest growing cellular operator with over
four million subscribers using its GSM network. Smart launched in April 2001 the
country's first GPRS network. It also introduced late last year Smart Money, the
award-winning electronic wallet linked to a cell phone service, and also Smart
zed, the mobile portal for personalized services.
Nokia is the world leader in mobile communications. Backed by its experience,
innovation, user-friendliness and secure solutions, the company has become the
leading supplier of mobile phones and a leading supplier of mobile, fixed and IP
networks. By adding mobility to the Internet, Nokia creates new opportunities
for companies and further enriches the daily lives of people. Nokia is a broadly
held company with listings on six major exchanges.