Ericsson to build and manage capital network for Warid Telecom in Bangladesh

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) has signed a major deal with greenfield operator Warid Telecom International LLC to bring mobile communications to more than 60 million people in Bangladesh. The four-year network expansion and managed services contract involves supplying, rolling out and operating the operator’s GSM/GPRS network in the capital city, Dhaka, which has the highest number of mobile users in the country.

The deal reinforces Ericsson’s strong track record in Bangladesh. Earlier this year, it signed two contracts to supply and roll out all the Mobile Softswitch, packet core and backbone transmission equipment for Warid Telecom’s GSM/GPRS network in other parts of Bangladesh. The latest agreement is an extension to those earlier contracts.

As in the previous contracts, the new agreement involves Ericsson taking responsibility for the design, rollout, operations, management and maintenance of Warid Telecom’s network. The contract includes more than 600 sites.

Bashir A Tahir, chief executive officer of Warid Telecom, says: "Our focus in Bangladesh is to ensure that we offer our customers a wide range of differentiating services that will add value to their lives, as well as redefining customer service in the country.

“Ericsson has the knowledge and understanding of our requirements, as well as the local competence, to ensure that Warid is able to meet its commitment of bringing superior quality network and mobile communications to the people of Bangladesh.”

Marwan Zawadeh, executive board member and group chief technical office of Warid Telecom, adds: “Ericsson has proven to be a reliable and committed partner in Bangladesh. Warid Telecom believes that with Ericsson as its strategic partner, it will be able to deliver a superior quality of network and value-added services at affordable prices to its customers.”

Arun Bansal, country manager of Ericsson Bangladesh, says Ericsson is proud to be selected to continue as Warid Telecom’s partner. “We are confident that, with our strong local presence and in-country technical and rollout expertise, as well as our strong capabilities in managed services, we will be able to meet Warid’s aggressive timelines. Ericsson is committed to ensuring that Warid exceeds its high expectations in Bangladesh, as it has in Pakistan. We look forward to being the partner of choice for Warid Telecom well into the future.”

Ericsson is shaping the future of Mobile and Broadband Internet communications through its continuous technology leadership. Providing innovative solutions in more than 140 countries, Ericsson is helping to create the most powerful communication companies in the world.

Read more at www.ericsson.com

About Warid Telecom
Warid Telecom International LLC, Bangladesh Operation (Warid Telecom), was recently awarded a GSM license to launch its cellular services in Bangladesh. Warid Telecom is chaired by a member of the royal family of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan. It is part of the Dhabi Group, which is a player in telecommunications, hospitality and property, oil exploration and supplies, and automobile industries. Warid Telecom’s stated strategy for its Bangladesh operations is to achieve technical differentiation based on premium quality of service, innovative or differentiated propositions, next-generation or future-proof architectures, and solutions that ensure efficient operation and scalable networks.

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