Weekly infrastructure awards wrap-up

The following list details this week’s infrastructure awards for the cellular, Wi-Fi and WiMAX industries. The contracts are broken down by transmission technology, country and vendor. The value of the contract is included when available.

Click here for additional infrastructure awards from RCR Wireless News.

Cellular

• Israel: Partner Communications Co. Ltd. selected L.M. Ericsson to upgrade and expand its network with its Mobile Softswitch Solution.

   

• Malaysia: DiGi Telecommunications awarded Ericsson a contract to expand its EDGE network and upgrade its core network nationwide. The contract calls for Ericsson to modernize Digi’s network by upgrading and optimizing some existing GSM radio access equipment to EDGE and replacing the remaining older equipment, said the companies. Also in Malaysia, Alcatel said it won a contract with Telekom Malaysia to be the prime supplier to Celcom Berhard, a wholly owned company of TM, for its UMTS wireless network. The contract is valued at about $88 million.

   

• Saudi Arabia: LCC International Inc. said it received a two-year extension on a contract with Saudi Telecom Co. to upgrade the carrier’s wireless network to third-generation technology. The first phase of the contract is valued at $17.3 million.

   

• Sweden: Telenor Mobile Sweden selected Nokia Corp. to provide its MSC Server System to optimize the carrier’s second- and third-generation network.

   

• United States: Verizon Wireless selected Lucent Technologies Inc. to deploy CDMA2000 1x EV-DO Rev. A technology throughout its nationwide network.

Wi-Fi

• England: IPass Inc. added Thames Online as a roaming partner. Thames Online provides coverage along a 10-mile stretch of the River Thames.

   

• New Zealand: Proxim Wireless Corp. said Otago Polytechnic is using the company’s Wi-Fi products for end-user access and its WiMAX products for building-to-building connectivity.

WiMAX

• Poland: Milmex Systemy Komputerowe Ltd. selected Soma Networks Inc. to provide WiMAX equipment for a network in Poland.

   

• Turkey: Aperto Networks provided its PacketWAVE WiMAX broadband wireless solution to Turbonet for a trial in the country.

   

• United States: BellSouth Corp. chose Alcatel for a WiMAX trial in an agreement that calls for Alcatel to supply its Evolium WiMAX solution for testing in BellSouth’s lab.

Miscellaneous

• China: UTStarcom Inc. said it won a contract to supply 300,000 QBOX terminals to China Telecom Group. The QBOX allows users to integrate traditional phone, wireless Internet and modem in one unit.

   

• Norway: Ericsson and Telenor signed a global agreement calling for Ericsson to supply microwave transmission equipment to the carrier, including its MINI-LINK and Marconi-branded point-to-point microwave transmission products. The agreement is an expansion of an existing contract between the two companies.

   

• United States: InnerWireless Inc. said it won a contract with Edward Hospital and Health Services to supply its Medical-grade Wireless Utility at four Illinois facilities, including the system’s main campus. The system guarantees coverage throughout a facility and supports multiple applications and devices. Also in the United States, Aptilo Networks supplied a system for guest network access to the House of Sweden in Washington, D.C., which houses the Swedish Embassy and representatives of Swedish commerce. The system allows visitors to access the Internet throughout the building.