NEC to Enter Russian 3G Market

NEC Corp plans to enter the 3G mobile phone infrastructure market in Russia, which will begin commercialization of 3G mobile phone service in 2006, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported, citing NEC chairman Hajime Sasaki. NEC will compete for their orders against Nokia Corp, Telefon AB LM Ericsson and other European companies to supply base stations and base station controllers, the Nikkei said.

“We want to make a contribution to the realization of Russia’s version of the ubiquitous society, where information can be exchanged anywhere, anytime,” Sasaki was quoted as saying at a Japan-Russia IT business strategy meeting.

Cellphone subscribers in Russia jumped to 85 mln as of end-March. Half of the population now uses mobile phones, and the market is expected to reach 1 trln yen as early as 2007, the Nikkei said. Via: Forbes Online.