China Unicom Signs 3G Network Contract With Motorola
China United Telecommunications Corp. (China Unicom), one of the largest wireless network operators in the world, has awarded the Phase III expansion of its Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) 2000 1X networks and upgrading of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) networks in the capital city and 12 leading provinces of China to Motorola’s Global Telecom Solutions Sector (GTSS), a leader in integrated communications solutions. The CDMA2000 1X Phase III Expansion Project Confirms Motorola as Biggest Network Vendor to World’s Third Largest Mobile Network Operator.
The contract, worth about US$556 million, was signed today in Washington, D.C. at a ceremony held during the U.S. – China Seminar on Prospects for Cooperation in Telecom and IT. It was signed by Tong Jilu, China Unicom vice president, and Adrian Nemcek, executive vice president of Motorola, Inc., and president and chief executive officer of GTSS.
The CDMA2000 1X Phase III expansion will bring fast-downloading multimedia applications and high-quality voice services to mobile customers in Beijing and the provinces of Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hebei, Jiangxi, Jilin, Shanxi and Xinjiang. The GSM expansion also will be carried out in Fujian, Guangdong, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong, Shanxi and Xinjiang provinces.
The contract confirms Motorola as the largest mobile phone network vendor to China Unicom, the world’s third largest wireless network operator. It also represents the largest portion of CDMA expansion projects awarded in the past year by China Unicom.
“Motorola has been a valuable partner in the development of our CDMA network and this upgrade to the latest technology will give our customers high-speed multimedia services and wireless applications at a cost which provides value for our investors,” said Tong.
“Motorola’s leadership position in supplying the growing number of CDMA networks in China is built on its track record delivering industry-leading, next-generation technologies that enable mobile operators to expand and upgrade services on a low-cost basis and maximize revenues,” said Simon Leung, senior vice president, Motorola, Inc., and general manager, Motorola GTSS Asia Pacific region.
“Motorola is proud to have been chosen yet again by China Unicom. We rolled out CDMA networks for Unicom when it launched the service in 2001 and have been closely involved in the various upgrades right up to this latest technology,” said Rueybin Kao, corporate vice president and general manager, Motorola GTSS Greater China.
Motorola was the first supplier to sign a contract with China Unicom for its CDMA2000 1X Phase III expansion, with work carried out in Jiangsu province. The current network expansion is scheduled for completion by the end of March 2004. Over the last 12 months, China Unicom has signed more than US$627 million of network infrastructure and value added services contracts with Motorola.
The most recent expansions will provide users with new wireless experiences that are simpler, smarter and more fun. With the CDMA2000 1X – enabled increased speed, subscribers can easily download music and data directly from the Internet, and enjoy multi-media, video on demand and advanced location based services from their mobile phones.
About China Unicom
China Unicom is a provider of integrated telecommunications services in China, offering a range of services including cellular, paging, long distance, data and Internet services to more than 90 million cellular subscribers, including 19 million CDMA users and 71 million GSM users.
About Motorola
Motorola, Inc. is a global leader in wireless, automotive and broadband communications. Sales in 2002 were $27.3 billion. Motorola is a global corporate citizen dedicated to ethical business practices and pioneering important innovations that make things smarter and life better — honored traditions that began when the company was founded. For more information, please visit www.motorola.com