Saudi Telecom Company (STC) has selected Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) to upgrade its nationwide GSM and 3G networks, and expand its commercial 4G network.
Nokia Siemens Networks is now responsible for building one-third of STC's nationwide 4G network. STC had announced the launch of its commercial 4G network using TD-LTE equipment from Nokia Siemens Networks in September 2011.
"STC and Nokia Siemens Networks have enjoyed a long-standing, strategic relationship that has gone from strength to strength over the years. The latest round of network expansion and modernisation provides a further boost to our partnership and will help us deliver a differentiated experience to our customers," said Zeyad Thamer Al-Otaibi, STC Group chief executive officer for Technical Operations.
"With more and more subscribers using bandwidth-intensive applications for smart phones and USB dongles, we needed to modernize our existing GSM and 3G networks, while rapidly launching 4G services. This is exactly what Nokia Siemens Networks offered us - excellent technology coupled with a smooth services roll-out," said Bandar Mohammed Al Qafari, vice president Network Sector at STC KSA.
As part of the contract, Nokia Siemens Networks is modernizing STC's GSM and 3G networks to its award winning Single RAN (radio access network) platform based on the compact, energy-efficient Flexi Multiradio Base Station. The company is deploying its 4G radio network infrastructure across 2,500 STC sites over the next two years.
Nokia Siemens Networks is also providing its FlexiPacket Microwave transport platform, which is a common transport medium for STC's GSM, 3G and 4G networks with on-air speed of up to 400 Mbps.
As part of the contract, Nokia Siemens Networks is also upgrading its NetAct network management system to enable effective monitoring, management and operation of STC's GSM, 3G and 4G networks
