ZTE, a global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, has announced the company will deliver LTE infrastructure equipment to operator Hi3G, which plans to build the world’s first LTE TDD/FDD dual-mode networks in Sweden and Denmark. As part of the deal, ZTE will also deliver 3G infrastructure equipment to upgrade the operator’s 3G network.
The delivered base stations will be based on ZTE’s Uni-RAN SDR (Software Defined Radio) technology, which enables Hi3G to support all viable mobile standards and frequency bands, housing both the upgraded 3G network and the two versions of LTE: TDD and FDD. The SDR technology also makes it possible for Hi3G to perform upgrades of its infrastructure without acquiring new base stations.
Peder Ramel, CEO at Hi3G, said: “We have chosen ZTE for additional 3G 900/2100 rollout and for LTE mobile broadband networks in Sweden and Denmark because of the possibility to house three different mobile standards in the same physical infrastructure and the low cost of ownership. Furthermore, ZTE advanced LTE dual-mode solutions and quick consignment responses really meet our requirements.”
Zhu Jinyun, President of ZTE Europe and America, commented: “The agreement with Hi3G fully demonstrates that ZTE has a great capability to provide solutions for end-to-end multi-mode convergence systems. It further strengthens our position in LTE in Western Europe and will be followed by additional LTE-infrastructure deals, which will be announced shortly.”
ZTE is a supplier in both the TDD and FDD markets, and has worked on more than 20 LTE projects in high-end markets including Spain, the United States and Hong Kong, with established operators such as Telenor, CSL (under Telstra Group), Etisalat, SingTel, Commnet Wireless/NTUA, and China Mobile. ZTE has to date rolled-out 15 LTE commercial networks and over 65 LTE trials in Europe, North America, and the Middle East and Asia Pacific areas.
Thomas Granström, Managing Director for ZTE in the Nordics, said: “The deal with Hi3G signals a real breakthrough for ZTE in the advanced Nordic market, demonstrating our capabilities in providing high speed mobile broadband network infrastructures. The agreement with Hi3G comes on top of a successful year, including several handset launches throughout the region and additional infrastructure deals with Nordic operators in foreign markets”
Hi3G expects to develop its Swedish and Danish networks for mobile broadband during 2011 and will introduce LTE technology with very high data speeds of up to 100 Mbps for its customers.
Hi3G will exploit its spectrum resources by rolling out two versions of LTE. The two versions are usually referred to as Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and Time Division Duplex (TDD). The main benefit of the TDD version is that it can make full use of TDD spectrums to maximise data throughput and enhance user experience. Hi3G has acquired 50MHz of TDD spectrum in Sweden and 25 MHz of TDD spectrum in Denmark.
The TDD version of LTE is also used in other parts of the world, for example China. The use of TDD LTE by China will facilitate the world-wide availability of TDD LTE terminals.