Telefónica O2 Germany selects Nokia Siemens Networks as a network technology partner for LTE #MWC11

Mobile World Congress 2011, Barcelona, Spain

Commercial 4G network to be rolled out in digital dividend and 2.6 GHz spectrums

Telefónica O2 subscribers in Germany will be the first within the Telefónica group to enjoy ultra-fast mobile broadband services. The operator will launch Long Term Evolution (LTE)* in the coming months, having selected Nokia Siemens Networks as one of two suppliers for the rollout, using both 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz frequency bands**. The deployment will begin with rural ‘white spots’ followed by urban areas.

“Finally the time has come: LTE is bringing fast Internet to the country. Thanks to our high speeds, customers in rural regions can now also watch videos online, download large data packages and play computer games,” said René Schuster, CEO of Telefónica O2 Germany. “Covering these ‘white spots’ is only the first step. As soon as the requirements of the Federal Network Agency are being fulfilled, we will also offer LTE800 in the cities. This could even happen in only a few months.”

“Efficient broadband deployment is a clear indicator of a country’s economic growth,” said Bosco Novák, head of customer operations west, Nokia Siemens Networks. “We are committed to supporting our customers in their LTE plans across different spectrum bands. Our LTE solution for Telefónica O2 Germany complements the operator’s existing offering of high-speed wireless and wireline data services.”

Under the three-year contract, Nokia Siemens Networks will install its Flexi Multiradio Base Stations to implement the LTE sites in large parts of Germany. Nokia Siemens Networks has a large services workforce in Germany – close to 3,000 experts – to ensure a speedy and quality network launch using its comprehensive implementation and project management services. It will also provide a full set of hardware and software maintenance services. Nokia Siemens Networks’ network management software, NetAct, is also part of the overall offering.

In addition, Nokia Siemens Networks will continue to expand and maintain Telefónica O2 Germany’s 2G/3G network, and continue to provide turnkey services across Germany to ensure service quality irrespective of data traffic growth.

Customers, press and analysts are welcome to see Nokia Siemens Networks’ showcases at its Experience Center in Hall 8, C01 of the 2011 Mobile World Congress, 14-17 February, Fira de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
About Telefónica O2 Germany

Telefónica O2Germany GmbH & Co. OHG belongs to Telefónica Europe and is part of the Spanish telecommunication group Telefónica S.A. The Company offers its German private and business customers postpaid and prepaid mobile telecom products as well as innovative mobile data services based on the GPRS and UMTS technologies. In addition, the integrated communications provider also offers DSL fixed network telephony and high-speed internet. Telefónica Europe has about 55 million mobile and fixed network customers in Great Britain, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany.
About Nokia Siemens Networks

Nokia Siemens Networks is a leading global enabler of telecommunications services. With its focus on innovation and sustainability, the company provides a complete portfolio of mobile, fixed and converged network technology, as well as professional services including consultancy and systems integration, deployment, maintenance and managed services. It is one of the largest telecommunications hardware, software and professional services companies in the world. Operating in 150 countries, its headquarters are in Espoo, Finland. www.nokiasiemensnetworks.com

Talk about Nokia Siemens Networks’ news at http://blogs.nokiasiemensnetworks.com and find out if your country is exploiting the full potential of connectivity at www.connectivityscorecard.org

Notes to editors:
* Nokia Siemens Networks is leading the commercialization of Long Term Evolution (LTE) in terms of commercial references and live network performance according to a third party consultancy firm. The LTE performance in a live network in Sweden was measured by Signals Research Group. The part supplied by Nokia Siemens Networks achieved the highest performance ratings.

LTE is the next-generation mobile broadband technology and the evolutionary step from GSM, WCDMA/HSPA/HSPA+, TD-SCDMA, CDMA and WiMAX networks. It delivers the best broadband user experience and smart device services in an efficient way due to increased data rates, reduced latency and scalable flat all-IP network architecture. Nokia Siemens Networks has shipped its LTE ready Flexi Multiradio Base Station to over 200 operators. In addition, it was the first to make an LTE call using commercial hardware and standards-compliant software in 2009.

Among the company’s 31 commercial LTE deals are Agri-Valley Communications in the USA (radio, EPC); Deutsche Telekom in Germany (radio); Elisa Finland and Elisa Estonia (radio, EPC); LG U+ in South Korea (radio); LightSquared (national LTE network incl. 40,000 base stations) in the USA (radio, EPC); Mobily (Etisalat) in Saudi Arabia (radio, EPC); Mosaic Telecom in the USA (radio, EPC); NTT DOCOMO in Japan (radio, EPC); SK Telecom in South Korea (radio); Tele2 in Sweden (EPC); Telecom Italia (radio); Telenor Denmark (radio);Telia in Sweden, TeliaSonera in Denmark and Finland and EMT (TeliaSonera) in Estonia (radio); and Zain Bahrain (radio, EPC). We were also selected by Verizon Wireless in the USA to supply IMS for LTE.

** The operator will be offering LTE services on the complementary 800 MHz or Digital Dividend spectrum and 2.6 GHz spectrum. While the Digital Dividend spectrum is ideal for providing rapid and cost-efficient mobile broadband services, 2.6 GHz will give the operator the required capacity.

The 800 MHz frequency band, popularly known as the Digital Dividend spectrum, is particularly attractive for deployment in rural areas due to its greater reach, enabling operators to meet their mobile broadband access targets cost efficiently. Ahead of most other countries in Europe, Germany completed auctioning the spectrum to operators in May 2010.