Nokia Siemens Networks snares Optus network contract

Partners with Nokia Siemens Network, deploys evolved packet core

Optus has partnered with Nokia Siemens Networks in a bid to upgrade its packet core, ahead of an anticipated upgrade to Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology.

Optus will deploy Nokia Siemens Networks' evolved packet core in an attempt to increase its presence in the mobile broadband market, allowing the telco to introduce new data services.

Managing director of Optus Networks, Günther Ottendorfer - appointed to the position last month - said the evolved packet core would also give the company the capability to launch new products in the mobile broadband space.

“Over the last couple of years, we have seen an explosion in mobile broadband and a rise in smartphones as customers consume information on the go,” Ottendorfer said in a statement.

“This new agreement with Nokia Siemens Networks on using its mobile packet core solution will give Optus the flexibility to provide more bandwidth to our customers as required, especially as online applications and mobile working has become the norm.”

The upgraded core will facilitate GPRS, WCDMA and LTE network traffic and includes a flexi NG platform which is hoped will provide more headroom for future Optus product launches.

The partnership signals a final move into the LTE space on the back of Nokia Siemens Networks gear, following trials of the technology by parent company Singtel locally and across the Asia Pacific over the past year.

Optus claimed the partnership wouldn't cause any major changes to its charging and billing systems.

Optus’ move into the LTE space comes as Telstra last month claimed it would launch its LTE network by the end of this year on Ericsson hardware. Vodafone Hutchison Australia has also ramped up plans to move to a fourth-generation LTE network based on Huawei's network core as part of a nationwide network upgrade.

Follow Lisa Banks on Twitter: @CapricaStar

Follow Computerworld Australia on Twitter: @ComputerworldAU

More about: DMA, Ericsson, Huawei, Hutchison, Nokia, Optus, Siemens, Singtel, Telstra, Vodafone
References show all

Comments

1

Sean

Thu 03/11/2011 - 00:16

It's about time optus is going onto 4g lte network and umts 900 mhz and optus should have done that when 3g 900 mhz in the major cities and suburbs and i was on optus but i had no reception unless i got on the roof of the house or on the footpath but there customer service is very good and but they should put there antennas on the street light poles and the reception would be fixed with low power radio equipment

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
Users posting comments agree to the Computerworld comments policy.
Login or register to link comments to your user profile, or you may also post a comment without being logged in.
Related Coverage
Related Whitepapers
Latest Stories
Community Comments
Tags: Long Term Evolution (LTE), lte, mobile broadband, Nokia Siemens Networks, optus, Optus Networks, partnership, telcos, wireless
Whitepapers
All whitepapers
Sign up now to get free exclusive access to reports, research and invitation only events.
Featured Download
/downloads/product/14/gimp/

GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP)

When you think Open Source software, you may think of half-baked programs too hard to use, or perhaps lacking power. Well, think again. This Open ...

Computerworld newsletter

Join the most dedicated community for IT managers, leaders and professionals in Australia