Alcatel-Lucent has signed a centralised purchasing contract with China Telecom, a telecom operator in China, to provide and maintain an IP/MPLS backbone across ten provinces (Guangxi, Hubei, Jiangxi, Ningxia, Sichuan, Jiangsu, Guizhou, Gansu, Xinjiang and Shanghai).

Upon completion in October, China Telecom hopes to deliver advanced broadband services with improved quality. The contract, which is part of the $700m framework agreement recently signed between China Telecom and Alcatel-Lucent, was awarded to Alca-Lu’s Chinese flagship company, Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell.

Alca-Lu informed that it will deploy its 7750 Service Router (SR) and 7450 Ethernet Service Switch (ESS) providing the bandwidth, scale and service awareness required to support the market for more personalised, broadband offerings such as IPTV, WebTV, Virtual Private Networks, and 3G/4G mobile.

Vodafone Czech Republic has selected Huawei as the supplier of its high-speed 3G network infrastructure.

Under the five year contract, Huawei will be responsible for expanding Vodafone’s 3G network.

The contract will first focus on continuing the expansion of 3G coverage within Prague, as well as Bruno. Huawei will also work on the modernisation and expansion of Vodafone’s 2G EDGE network.

Ericsson will provide field maintenance and other services for the Telefonica O2 UK 2G and 3G networks.

Under the new agreement, Ericsson will provide field maintenance services for radio and switch sites, spare parts management logistics support as well as optimisation and drive services and facilities engineering services for Telefonica O2 UK.

Ericsson and Telefonica O2 UK have a multi-year relationship for supply of mobile core network technology. This new agreement marks the first time that Ericsson will undertake day-to-day operations for Telefonica O2 UK.

Sonera has informed that it has accelerated its turbo 3G build-out programme by introducing mobile broadband services in the 900 MHz frequency.

The company has informed that a significant part of the turbo 3G extension will be based on the 900 MHz frequency. In a lower-frequency network, an individual base station serves a larger coverage area, which makes it possible to extend geographical network coverage in an economic way, the company noted.

Nokia Siemens Networks and Huawei will be the network vendors for the programme.

Alongside this, Sonera said that this year, it hopes to introduce its turbo 3G network in more than 100 new towns and localities, adding up to a total of 350 localities. More than 1,000 new base stations will be introduced, the company added.

Alcatel-Lucent has been chosen by Samart Telcoms, a provider of network system services in Thailand and a member of the JJS consortium, to supply an intelligent optical network for TOT Public Company (TOT).

This contract is aimed at supporting TOT’s IP broadband project.

Alcatel-Lucent will provide Samart Telcoms with an integrated, end-to-end solution allowing TOT to support the bandwidth demands driven by next-generation 3G services.

Samart Telcoms also hopes to benefit from Alcatel-Lucent’s know-how in network roll-outs, project execution and network maintenance.

Ericsson recently announced an exclusive contract with 3 Italia that includes a seven-year agreement to modernise and upgrade the existing WCDMA/HSPA network with Ericsson technologies and architectures. It also includes an extension of the current managed services deal.

Under the network transformation contract, Ericsson will modernise and upgrade the existing 3G mobile broadband access and core networks, optical and radio transport, data charging, and consumer-services platforms and systems.

The deal also extends the exclusive managed services contract signed in 2005 for the total management of 3 Italia’s multi-vendor 3G network and telecom IS&IT infrastructure. The prolonged contract runs for five years.

The agreement combines extensive technology modernisation and network upgrade with operational process improvements and managed services. At the end of the transformation and modernisation process, 3 Italia’s mobile broadband network will be powered and managed by Ericsson.

Intel and Nokia have announced a long-term relationship to develop a new class of Intel Architecture-based mobile computing device and chipset architectures, aimed at combining the performance of powerful computers with high-bandwidth mobile broadband communications and ubiquitous internet connectivity.

To realise this shared vision, both companies are expanding their relationship to define a new mobile platform beyond smartphones, notebooks and netbooks, enabling the development of a variety of hardware, software and mobile internet services.

Taking advantage of each company’s know-how, these future standards-based devices are expected to marry the best features and capabilities of the computing and communications worlds and transform the user experience.

The Intel and Nokia effort includes collaboration in several open source mobile Linux software projects. Intel will also acquire a Nokia HSPA/3G modem IP licence for use in future products.

Ericsson has signed an agreement with Elcoteq, a supplier to Ericsson, for part of its manufacturing operations in Estonia. The purchase price is E30m, relating to inventory and some minor assets.

The agreement also includes transfer of about 1,200 employees. Ericsson expects the move to secure manufacturing capacity in Estonia.

The company’s decision is claimed to be a result of Elcoteq’s restructuring plan and consolidation of its manufacturing in Europe. Elcoteq is supplying radio access products to Ericsson’s 2G and 3G base-stations together with optical- and transmission equipment.

We may note, Ericsson outsourced its volume production more than ten years ago. This strategy remains.

The agreement includes transfer of the lease agreement concerning manufacturing premises.

The transaction is expected to close during 2009 and requires formal approval by relevant anti-trust authorities.

Etisalat and Research In Motion (RIM) have introduced BlackBerry Storm 9500 smartphone, featuring a ‘clickable’ touch-screen, to customers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The BlackBerry Storm smartphone’s platform and multimedia and communications capabilities are aimed at providing business customers and consumers alike with personalised entertainment, information and communications at their fingertips.

The smartphone also boasts 3G (HSPA) network support, desktop-style web pages and advanced multimedia capabilities including a 3.2 megapixel camera with video recording, a media player and an expandable memory card slot.

Besides other features the BlackBerry Storm can also be synchronised with iTunes so customers can enjoy their music on the move; and with the BlackBerry Music Gateway, they can even enjoy songs through their home stereo, the company added.

Research In Motion (RIM) has introduced the BlackBerry Storm smartphone in Hong Kong.

The smartphone features a ‘clickable’ touch-screen, which seeks to improve the touch interface and enables easy typing.

The phone boasts a stunning display, 3G (HSPA) network support, desktop-style web pages and advanced multimedia capabilities including a 3.2 megapixel camera with video recording, a media player and an expandable memory card slot.

The BlackBerry Storm enables access to IM and social networking services, and comes with built-in GPS and e-mail and messaging capabilities.

The smartphone has a 3.25-inch, high resolution (480×360 at 184 ppi) display. Featuring a built-in media player that handles a range of video and music formats, it also supports video streaming and can be synchronised with iTunes for music content or wirelessly connected (via Bluetooth) to a home stereo using the BlackBerry Music Gateway.

With HSPA connectivity, BlackBerry Storm users can enjoy an HTML browser that works in either portrait or landscape modes thanks to the built-in orientation sensor (accelerometer).

The BlackBerry Storm smartphone is expected to be available in Hong Kong from 1O1O, 3 Hong Kong, China Mobile Hong Kong Company Limited, one2free and SmarTone-Vodafone in the second quarter 2009.